Philippine News Today by Philippine News Today

1 March 17-23, 2022

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION

www.pnewstoday.com

THE PREMIER FILIPINO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S. SINCE 1961

Vol. 61 No. 32 March 17-23, 2022

NEWS AND VIEWS YOU TRUST

ALL AREAS IN PHL NOW ‘LOW RISK’ FOR COVID-19 Travel, businesses in full blast; foreign tourists admitted in April By ALFRED GABOT, Editor-in-Chief

MANILA – All areas in the country, including those under Alert Level 2 earlier, are now classiﬁed as “low risk” for the new coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), buoying hopes for businesses and industries, including transport and tourism establishments to recover and the workers gaining back full employment and Page 9 beneﬁts.

MARYKNOLL-MIRIAM COLLEGE

West Coast grads form first global alum chapter By Cherie M. Querol Moreno

By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor

MANILA – The claim of the camp of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. that their bet is way ahead in the surveys is belied by their resorting to extreme black propaganda, usually resorted to by losing candidates. By her own words, Vice President Leni Robredo –considered to be one of the two presidential contenders who have a shot at winning the presidency – said that the attacks against her had gotten more vicious in the last couple of weeks. Page 8

Metro Manila, 47 other cities, provinces stay under Alert Level until March 31 MANILA – Metro Manila, along with 47 other areas in several parts of the country, will remain under Alert Level 1 until March 31, This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Dis-

eases (IATF-EID) approved the new alert level classiﬁcations in the country, acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a press statement. “The Inter-Agency Task Force on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, Page 8

President warns communists may destabilize May 9 elections; VP Robredo hits ‘red-tagging’ By Jeanne Michael Penaranda

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed alarm over an intelligence report saying communist insurgents are conniving with a certain political organization to sow discord

especially this coming election. Duterte’s statement virtually conﬁrmed claims by Sen. Panﬁlo Lacson and Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla that communists may have Page 8

Robredo slams heightened black propaganda from Marcos camp

Marcos, Sara, Tulfo still lead in Pulse survey

The MMCAA 2022 board of directors has fulfilled a long�me goal of organizing interna�onal alumnae chapters. FORMER Philippine Am- early this year. She joined the bassador to Berlin Millie San- board of directors in 2020 when tamaria Thomeczek’s rise to the she took on the responsibility of chair of her college alumni board reaching out to fellow “Knolfits right into its new mission to lers” everywhere, specifically in unite graduates and former stu- the Filipino Diaspora. dents around the world. The seasoned diplomat who Thomeczek assumed leader- earned a BA in Communication ship of the Maryknoll-Miriam Arts in1974 before embarking College Alumni Association on a second career inPage 11

Q U E Z O N CITY – If surveys are to be believed, the UniTeam of presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vicepresidential bet Sara DuterteCarpio will dominate the races as they maintained their lead in the February 18 to 23 electoral survey of Pulse Asia ﬁrst Page 8

3 Pinays injured in ‘hate’ attacks in New York

US, PHL jets hold air combat maneuver drills VIEWS & COMMENTS

SHOWBIZ

Immigrants who Special screening of may need a waiver ‘Ang Kababaihan ng of inadmissibility Malolos’ set By A�y. Lozano

Page 14

Page 16

SPORTS

7 Pinoys qualify for World Games set in U.S. Page 21

PESO-DOLLAR RATE

$1.00= P52.40

March 17, 2022 1:10am

Page 8

P24

 NATIONAL NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

US, PHL ﬁghter jets hold air combat maneuver drills

FIGHTER PLANES of Philippine Air Force CLARK AIR BASE, Pampanga – Philippine Air Force (PAF) FA-50PH jet ﬁghter pilots and American F-16 ﬁghter pilots are holding “air combat maneuvering” (ACM) tactics practices during the “Bilateral Air Contingent Exchange

(BACE)-Philippines” which opened on March 14 and ends on March 25. PAF spokesperson Col. Maynard Mariano said the two-week maneuvers features “ACM” between the Mach 1.5 capable FA50PHs and the participating F-16s from the United States Air Force 13th Squadron over the northwestern part of Central Luzon. It will be the 10th iteration of the BACE-P which will be executed at Basa Air Base, Floridablanca, Pampanga; Clark Air Base, Mabalacat City, Pampanga; Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, Capas, Tarlac; and in Wallace Air Station in San Fernando La Union. The exercise will focus on a wide

range of mission sets such as air-to-air engagement, base defense; air traﬃc navigations and integration coordination; air battle management, air defense command, and control operations; radar and radio operations; and surface-to airmissile operation and deployment planning. “Yes, but this time it’s going to be a large force against a large force,” Mariano said. Mariano said that four FA-50PHs and four F-16s are conducting the maneuver drills. “Four on four. This is to stimulate a large force and for safety reasons,” he added. Previous iterations of the BACE-P have previously conducted three similar maneuvers but on a smaller scale. Twelve US F-16s are participating in the BACE-P together with 10 FA-50PHs from the PAF’s 5th Fighter Wing.

The American aircraft arrived in the country last March 12. ACM refers to the “tactical art of moving, turning and/or situating one’s fighter aircraft in order to attain a position from which an attack can be made on another aircraft.” It relies on offensive and defensive basic fighter maneuvering to gain an advantage over an aerial opponent. Mariano said that the exercise will also allow or feature “simulated guns and missile kills” among opposing American and Filipino aircraft. Mariano said the BACE-P also features Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) on how to use and defend against surface-to-air missiles (SAM) systems. “This will be a SMEE -- more on a lecture type and procedures on what to do on how to defend against, (and) also to employ (SAM systems),” he added.

Duterte says he delivered promise to Filipinos, cites peace in Mindanao By Jeanne Michael Penaranda MANILA - With few months left before stepping down from power, President Rodrigo Duterte said he has fulfilled his campaign pledges to the people when he ran for the presidency in 2016, from attaining peace and order to fighting illegal drugs and building modern infrastructures. “I have delivered all that I promised to the Filipino people,” President Duterte said during an interview with controversial Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on March 12. The President said his government have made inroads in combating the proliferation of illicit narcotics trade, crime, and also posted successes in constructing major infrastructures under the Build, Build, Build program. “But ako, sabihin ko sa iyo, drugs, crime, sabi ko infrastructure, sabi ko ayan, ‘yung ospital ngayon, dito man ‘yan sa Davao na kinopya ni Bong. Actually dito sa Davao, sa opisina ko, magpunta ‘yung mga tao,” he said. In terms of addressing traffic congestion

in the country’s urban centers, the President said his government also made significant progress. Although the traffic is still there, he said: “It cannot be avoided altogether but at least dito you have your options. Noon wala ka talagang option, magdaan ka talaga ng isang linya lang. Now, you can go up doon ka sa toll, maluwang na.” Another government’s thrust is decentralizing the processing of permits, clearances and other documents to best serve the people. Now, he said it is much easier for the public to get passports, NBI and police clearances, as well as documents from the statistics office. “Iyon ang isang innovation ko diyan. Tapos — binigay ko talaga. Education, nandiyan na. Lahat binigay ko. Education, hospital, peace and order,” he said. In the same interview, Duterte said the country has attained relative peace in Mindanao particularly with the establishment of the new autonomous region in the south and through the cultivation of good relations

with the Muslim population. “I think we have relatively peaceful Mindanao, Pastor. The contentious issue in the yesterdays were the BARMM at napagbigyan naman natin si Murad, and dito sa Jolo, in-order-an ko ang Armed Forces to place one division, marami ‘yan. And so medyo nagkalma na,” President Duterte said. “We have a good rapport with the Moro of Mindanao. And I think that just allow them in the governance of our country and give them enough elbowroom to, you know, just govern without interference of armed groups,” he added, noting only the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) is sowing mayhem because of political diﬀerences. And for the longest time, the region hasn’t had any kidnapping incident, as well as attacks on security forces or depredation victims. The Muslim population’s animosity with the government has also waned after the administration addressed the issues concerning Mindanao, he pointed out.

“The Moro hatred dahang-dahang nawala sa kanila because gipagbigyan natin sila sa lahat at anong hiningi nila. As a matter of fact, pinakamarami sa administrasyon ko na maraming mga Moro,” he said. The President cited the appointments of Muslims in the government such as the new chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), justices in the Supreme Court (SC) and Court of Appeals (CA), as well as oﬃcials in diﬀerent government agencies. “Even in the Cabinet may tatlo ako o apat noon, namatay lang si Alonto, and one was — got sick. But there were four of them of the maybe three and half years of my term,” he said. “So sinadya ko ‘yan para wala silang masabi that they are being left out. And for the long list of prosecutors and judges, marami akong in-appoint, lady Moro judges at ‘yung mga prosecutors.” Militarily, the government has achieved its objectives in keeping the peace in Mindanao, he said, stressing if the equilibrium is maintained, the region will be troublefree.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR

RNs and LVNs Rate: RN- $75/ hour LVN- $50/ hour Referral fee: $25/shift

3 March 17-23, 2022

 NATIONAL NEWS

Unite to end Reds’ threat, Lacson urges Pinoys

Par�do Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “ Ping” Lacson CAUAYAN, Isabela – Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “ Ping” Lacson called on all Filipinos to unite in ending the more than five decades of communist insurgency in the country. The presidential aspirant made this

appeal as he visited Isabela, where the New People’s Army (NPA) was born in Jones town in 1969. “Dapat talaga, the Philippines deserves a better peace and order and prosperity. Dapat magkaisa-isa na tayo para ang kapayapaan at katahimikan mamayani sa ating bansa at tuloy umasenso na tayong lahat (I believe the Philippines deserves a better peace and order and prosperity. We should unite so there will be peace and prosperity in our country and we can live better lives),” Lacson said at the ﬂag-raising ceremony in Cauayan, Isabela. He said the country needs a strong leader who has a vision and the ability to implement peace and order. Lacson said during the ﬁve decades of insurgency, more than 2,000 people have been killed while billions of pesos had been lost to the NPAs who collect revolutionary taxes and burn the equipment of businessmen who do not cooperate. He pointed out President Rodrigo Duterte himself cited intelligence information indicating the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), NPA,

and National Democratic Front (NDF) may have “inﬁltrated” the campaigns of some camps. Lacson said the Philippines has experienced twice the scenario of those identiﬁed with the CPP-NPA getting government posts - with the NPA gaining strength each time. “Napansin namin, ang lalakas ng armas so pag nasa government ang CPPNPA lumalakas ang pwersa nila within the government bureaucracy itself (We noticed that when those in the CPP-NPA join the government, the NPA’s weapons become more powerful),” he added. Lacson said the people can no longer allow the CPP-NPA to enter into a “coalition” with the government a third time. In his speech, Lacson also recalled his stint in Isabela in 1988 as then provincial commander of the Philippine Constabulary. He said he stopped the NPA’s practice of conducting checkpoints there and enforced the Constabulary’s checkpoints. He cited one mission where the NPA ambushed his men, with Lt. Rosauro

Toda - a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1986 - among the fatalities. Lacson noted the ambush had been meant for him, had Toda’s reinforcing group not hit the ambush site ahead of the main force which he was leading. Lacson, who is running for President under Partido Reporma, visited Isabela with his vice presidential bet, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. Sotto, in his speech, noted he had worked for the cityhood of Cauayan. The call of Lacson is in line with the Lacson-Sotto tandem’s platform of giving Filipinos a better life by ﬁxing the ills in government (Aayusin ang gobyerno, aayusin ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino), and going after crooks especially in government (Uubusin ang magnanakaw). Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will look into reports that communists have inﬁltrated Robredo’s campaign. PNP chief, Gen. Dionardo Carlos said they will investigate and verify the intelligence reports they gathered.

74% of 67M ballots for May polls printed: Comelec QUEZON CITY – Over 49 million or close to 74 percent of more than 67 million oﬃcial ballots have already been printed at the National Printing Oﬃce (NPO) in Quezon City, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported. “Out of the 13 regions, including Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in

Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), we already printed 73.7 percent. Almost all are already 100 percent printed except for National Capital Region (NCR),” Commissioner Marlon Casquejo, head of the poll body’s printing committee, said during the press briefing before the walk-through of the printing of the ballots in Quezon City. Casquejo, meanwhile, said they have printed 4,755,360 out of a total of 7,289,791 ballots for Central Luzon. The poll body is set to print a total of 7,322,361 ballots for NCR. He also reported that the manual ballots for local absentee voting (LAV) totaling 60,000 have already been completed. The manual ballots for Office of Overseas Voting (OFOV) numbering 79,800 and the additional 145 OFOV manual ballots for the Philippine Embassy in Rabat in Morocco have been finished. Meanwhile, a total of 86,280 ballots for the 63 barangays in North Cotabato which are part of the BARMM have also been printed. The poll body started the printing of the official ballots in January.

 METRO NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

Makati folk back to new normal with 7 new community centers

MAKATI CITY – The Makati City local government has completed the construction of community complexes in seven villages as residents slowly return to their normal activities. The newly-built facilities are located in Barangay Valenzuela, Comembo, Rizal, Palanan, West Rembo, Olympia, and San Antonio where residents can play basketball, do ﬁtness activities like Zumba, and other group events. “We are glad to have completed these legacy infrastructure projects just as we

are starting to regain normalcy in our daily lives. These have been designed to cater to Makatizens of all ages, oﬀering them modern amenities,” Mayor Abby Binay said in a statement. Each community center will be a hub of interaction “that will restore and strengthen the community spirit in every village” as they try to get over the eﬀects of the Covid-19 pandemic, Binay added. On March 10, the three-story Barangay Valenzuela community complex was inaugurated.

It houses the new barangay hall, basketball court with a 250-seating capacity, multipurpose hall, livelihood center, daycare center, computer center, and a library. The 3,454.41-square-meter facility also has an outpost for watchmen, control room, ﬁre and rescue center, water collection system, and parking lot. The six other complexes will be inaugurated before Makati’s foundation day in June.

QC trike drivers, operators get fuel voucher QUEZON CITY – A total of 3,982 registered members of the Quezon City Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) have received fuel vouchers from the city government to help cushion the eﬀects of the successive increases in the prices of fuel products. Mayor Joy Belmonte during her birthday on March 15 distributed fuel vouchers amounting to P500 to the ﬁrst batch of eligible TODA members. She said the voucher will help alleviate the burdens of small tricycle operators and drivers amid the recent spike in fuel

prices. “While we are waiting for the fuel subsidy promised by the national government, we recognize the urgent need to help one of the most vital transportation sectors in our city,” Belmonte said. The city government will continue the distribution of fuel vouchers to other TODA members until Thursday. The city council recently passed an ordinance that provides a fuel subsidy program to over 25,000 members of the QC TODA. In the ordinance, each of the quali-

$495

fied tricycles-for-hire shall receive a fuel subsidy of P1,000 in the form of a fuel voucher that will be distributed by the QC Task Force for Transport and Traffic Management (TFTTM) through the city’s Tricycle Regulatory Division. However, its implementing rules and regulations in the distribution process have yet to be finalized by the city council. Meanwhile, Belmonte encouraged its residents, especially the motorists, to avail of the free rides being offered by the city government through the Q City Bus System to save on fuel. The city’s free ride program launched amid the community restrictions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic continues to operate in the following routes. Route 1: Quezon City Hall to Cubao; Route 2: Quezon City Hall to LITEX; Route 3: Welcome Rotonda to Aurora Blvd./Katipunan; Route 4: Quezon City Hall to Gen. Luis; Route 5: Quezon City Hall to Mindanao Ave. Via Visayas Ave.; Route 6: Quezon City Hall to Gilmore; Route 7: Quezon City Hall to Ortigas Avenue Extension; and Route 8: Quezon City Hall to Muñoz.

Warmer days ahead as dry season begins: PAGASA QUEZON CITY – Expect warmer days ahead in the Philippines. This as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) oﬃcially declared on March 16 the start of the dry season. “The recent analyses indicate retreat of the high pressure area (HPA) over Siberia, thereby weakening of the associated northeasterly winds and decreasing sea level pressure in the country. Moreover, the wind pattern has generally shifted from northeasterlies to easterlies over most parts of the country as a result of the advancing HPA over the northwestern Paciﬁc,” the weather agency stated. These signify the start of the dry season and warmer conditions, according to PAGASA. With the easterlies as the prevailing weather system, the country could expect warm and humid weather, especially until noon, PAGASA forecaster Ana Clauren said. Clauren added that rains and thunderstorms may be experienced for a short period in the afternoon or evening. PAGASA said the day-to-day rainfall across the country will be mostly due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms. The weather bureau, meanwhile, urged the public to take precautionary measures to minimize heat stress, and to optimize the daily use of water for personal and domestic consumption. The Philippines experiences two seasons -- the dry season when rain showers are greatly reduced and when the public could expect higher temperatures; and wet season, which usually begins in June.

408.286.9360 408.286.9311

FUEL VOUCHER. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte distributes fuel vouchers to the ﬁrst batch of tricycle operators and drivers’ associa�on (TODA) members in the city on her birthday on March 15.

5 March 17-23, 2022

 PROVINCIAL NEWS

Ilocos folk laud solar-powered farmers’ market BY Teddy Molina NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur — Residents of Ilocos Sur and nearby Ilocos provinces, including Pangasinan, lauded the inauguration of a modern solar-powered farmers’ market in Narvacan town in Ilocos Sur. “This is a big boost to the Ilocos region farmers who can now sell and promote their farm produce and other products in the huge market,” farming leaders told the Philippine News Today of California through its correspondent here and the local media. President Rodrigo Duterte inaugurated the huge solar-powered farmers’ market on March 4 together with Narvacan Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Sen. Christopher Lawrence Go and other oﬃcials. A pet project of Narvacan Mayor Singson, the farmers market building is considered as the ﬁrst solarpowered public market in the Philippines.

The Singson project also features a vast and simi- president said that the market would usher in the golden larly solar-powered parking area designed as a charging age of infrastructure and agriculture in the town and Ilostation to serve the needs of 5,000 electric vehicles. cos Sur. Duterte congratulated and praised Singson saying the market will “ revitalize the local economy by showcasing local products, providing more employment opportunities and attracting businesses in the region.” The president also lauded the project for including a parking area cum charging station for E-jeepneys which will “signiﬁcantly reduce carbon emission and lessen the reliance to fossil fuel.” Mayor Singson, who is the president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, disclosed that the market complex can save up to 40 percent in the consumption of electricity. The “utilization of energy-saving practices in this infrastructure building will undoubtedly contribute to our country’s sustainable goals,” the president said. The Narvacan mayor, in his speech welcoming the

Fishers suspend operations to protest big-time oil price hike BINANGONAN, Rizal — Members of militant ﬁshers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) suspended their ﬁshing operations as oil prices have increased for 11th straight week. The mega big-time oil price hike will increase the prices per liter of gasoline and diesel by P8.28 and P12.72. “The “tigil-palaot” is our pro-

test against the overpricing of petroleum products that already left us to bankruptcy and debts. We likewise protest the government’s neglect to correct this fraudulent practice on overpricing of giant oil ﬁrms,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA National Spokesperson, said during the protest. PAMALAKAYA said that the recent mega big-time oil price hike will mark up the fuel cost for an average of 12-liter consumption.

 NATIONAL NATIONAL NEWS NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

VP Leni satisfaction rating drops in new survey

CAMPAIGN. Vice President Leni Robredo and running mate, Senator Francis Pangilinan, during their campaign in Negros Occidental. QUEZON CITY – Vice President Leni Robredo’s satisfaction rating dropped in a 2021 last quarter survey of top government officials, according to results released by Social Weather Stations (SWS). The SWS Fourth Quarter 2021 poll conducted Dec. 12 to 16, 2021 revealed that the number of Filipinos satisfied with Robredo’s performance dropped to 41 percent from 51 percent recorded in September 2021. Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III was the only high-ranking official who received a “very good” net satisfaction score, the SWS said. “Senate President Sotto’s net satisfaction rating rose from good to very good, up from +46 in September 2021 to +52 (correctly rounded) in December 2021,” the survey said. “The 6-point increase in the overall net satisfaction rating of Senate President Sotto was due to increases in all areas except Min-

danao.” Two other top government oﬃcials – House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo – posted a “neutral” net satisfaction rating each. Forty percent of 1,440 respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the presidential candidate, up by 13-percentage points from September 2021’s 27 percent. Nineteen percent were ambivalent on the matter. The poll results pulled Robredo’s net satisfaction score to “neutral” +1, down by 23 points from “good” +24 in September 2021. SWS said the 23-point decline in Robredo’s overall net satisfaction rating was “due to decreases in all areas, especially in Mindanao.” Robredo’s net satisfaction score fell from “neutral” to “poor” in Metro Manila (from +1 to -16) and Mindanao (from +20 to -27), and from “good” +47 to “moderate” +27 in

the Visayas. She retained a “moderate” net satisfaction rating in Balance Luzon, despite a 14-point drop from +24 to +10. Robredo’s net satisfaction also plunged from “good” to “moderate” in rural areas (from +34 to +14). Her net satisfaction fell from “good” to “neutral” among women (from +32 to +6), those 55 years old and above (from +32 to +6), non-elementary graduates (from +42 to +5), and elementary graduates (from +36 to +4). It likewise fell from “moderate” to “neutral” among men, down (from +17 to -4), junior high school graduates (from +15 to -1), college graduates (from +20 to +1), and those belonging from 18 to 54 age groups (from +16 to +26 range -5 to +2 range). Robredo’s net satisfaction rating fell from “moderate” +13 to “poor” -13 in urban areas. The net satisfaction of Sotto, who is vying for the country’s second top post, rose from “good” to “very good” in Metro Manila (from +49 to +53) and in Balance Luzon (from +47 to +56). Sotto’s net satisfaction stayed “very good” in the Visayas (from +51 to +63) and “good” in Mindanao (from +37 to +31). Velasco’s net satisfaction remained “neutral”, three points down from +8 in September 2021 to +5 in December 2021. Gesmundo’s net satisfaction score also stayed “neutral,” ﬁve points higher from +2 in September 2021 to +7 in December 2021. SWS interviewed 360 respondents each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, using sampling error margins of ±2.6 percentage points for national percentages and ±5.2 percentage points for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Over 98% of PNP personnel now fully vaccinated

VACCINATION OF policemen

CAMP CRAME, Quezon City – A total of 221,101 out of 224,695 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), or 98.40 percent of the force, are already fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as of March 13. The remaining ones are partially vaccinated (2,956 or 1.52 percent) or unvaccinated (638 or 0.28 percent) while from among the fully vaccinated, 136,677 cops or 61.82 percent have received booster

doses. Meanwhile, no new cases were recorded on March 13, leaving the number of active infections at 10. The PNP Health Oﬃce data showed 48,831 cases were recorded since the start of the pandemic two years ago, 48,693 recovered, and 128 died. The last recorded fatality was on February 11.

Magnitude 6.4 quake jolts Occidental Mindoro, generates 240 aftershocks SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro – A total of 240 aftershocks have been recorded as of 4 p.m. on March 15 due to the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that jolted Occidental Mindoro earlier. Aftershocks had a magnitude ranging from 1.5 to 4.8. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the magnitude 6.4 tectonic quake struck 110 kilometers northwest of the municipality of Lubang at 5:05 a.m.

Phivolcs director Renato Solidum Jr. said that the earthquake was generated by the movement along the Manila Trench. “A large magnitude or a major earthquake from the Manila Trench is one of the earthquake scenarios that (people) need to prepare for in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces as it can cause strong shaking and tsunami,” Solidum said. The magnitude 6.4 earthquake was

28 kilometers deep, and caused intensity IV to be felt in Occidental Mindoro; and intensity III in Nasugbu, Batangas; Tagaytay City, Amadeo, Maragondon, Mendez, and Alfonso in Cavite; Quezon City; Taguig City; Mandaluyong City; Makati City; Navotas City; Pasig City; and Plaridel, Bulacan. Phivolcs earlier reported that aftershocks are likely, but damages are not expected since damage starts at intensity VI.

More China intrusions in West Philipine Sea, PHL Rise bared MANILA – After the intrusion of the Chinese Navy and militia ships in Philippine waters, officials confirmed there had been intruders in the Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise, a Philippine territory located approximately 250 kilometers east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela. National Security Council (NSC) deputy director general Rufino Lopez made the revelation during a Senate hearing saying the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard are exhausting all efforts to conduct a “proper” report of the incursions into the Philippine Rise. Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the Department of Foreign Affairs is set to file protest in connection with the Philippine Rise incursions. The country involved however was not identified. The DFA, through Acting Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian this week over the People’s Liberation Army – Navy’s (PLAN’s) illegal incursion in the Sulu Sea from 29 January to 01 February 2022.

7 March 17-23, 2022

 NATIONAL NATIONAL NEWS NEWS

Top California lawyer boosts campaign for BBM and Sara

USPA LEADERS. Former 6-term Milpitas, California Mayor Jose Esteves (le�) and former Councilman Garry Barbadillo, Co-Chairman and Vice-Chairman/Legal Counsel respec�vely, of the United States Pinoys’ Alliance for Bongbong MarcosSara Duterte(USPA for BBM-Sara) display the V-sign while reaﬃrming their pledge of commitment and support for the BBM-SARA tandem in the May elec�ons.The MILPITAS, California -- A Pinoy group’s campaign activities for Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte in the U.S. received a boost and continued to

heat up as lawyer and former Milpitas Councilman Garry Barbadillo formally joined the United States Pinoys’ Alliance for BBM-SARA as it’s Vice Chair-

man and Legal Counsel. This was learned from Californiabased journalist Teddy Molina, USPA for BBM-SARA founder and SecretaryGeneral. Barbadillo, who had served as an elected member of the Milpitas City Council, asserted his commitment to mobilize and push the Marcos- Duterte pair’s election bids among Filipinos in the United States and the Philippines during a USPA leaders’ meeting here recently. Barbadillo is a popular lawyer among Filipinos and other immigrants here and throughout Santa Clara county. He is also widely engaged with a group serving poor and low-income clients ‘pro bono’ or for free. His involvement in the USPA activities is “vital” and “highly valuable,” Molina said. USPA Co -Chairman Jose Esteves, who had been a 6-term city Mayor here, met with Molina and Barbadillo at the Milpitas Public Library recently to synchronize their campaign drives. Molina later ﬂew to Honolulu in Hawaii for a similar meeting with Es-

teves’s USPA Co-Chairman Lito Alcantra. Alcantra pledged to zero in for Marcos and Duterte on Hawaii’s huge Filipino population, mostly Ilocanos like Alcantra. Alcantra who is considered as Hawaii’s Pinoy patriarch has carved a highly phenomenal career in the construction industry. Group Builders which he owns is into building of skyscrapers and employs a legion of Filipinos. It was learned that he deploys at least 400 workers for one skyscraper contract which often come in twos or threes at the same time. Among his clients is the Hilton hotel chain and other big time commercial companies. He was in the forefront extending help to the late President Marcos and his family while they were on exile in Hawaii up to the time of the exiled president’s death. Hawaiians consider his support as crucial considering that Marcos ﬁnances and assets were frozen when they stepped out of Malacanang in 1986.

Marcos eyes elaborate, all-encompassing food production program

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – In what could be one of his most comprehensive platforms of governance yet, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he would work for an elaborate and all-encompassing food production program for the country to attain what he described as food sovereignty if he wins the May 9 elections. In a radio interview, Marcos said he and his running mate Sara “Inday” Duterte are crafting an agricultural blueprint that would ensure every Filipino family would have food on the table when dining time comes. This as the BBM-Sara Unity Team attracted some 60,000 supporters, many of them farmers, during their proclamation rally in Talavera, Nueva Ecija. Marcos said the government’s program on addressing poverty and hunger should shift from what he termed as being “import-centric in which we rely heavily on importation of food products to feed the people, to production-centric in which our food requirements will be free from the dictates of market forces.” “Kapag mapalakas natin ang ating agricultural sector, magkakaroon tayo ng food sufficiency at food security. At kapag sapat na ang food production natin at tayo na ang nagdidikta kung kailangan ba tayong mag-export ng ating produktong pagkain, masasabi natin na nakamtan na rin natin ang food sovereignty (Once we strengthen our agricultural sector, we will have food sufficiency and food security. And once we have enough food production and we are the ones who dictate whether we need to export our food products, we can say that we have also achieved food sovereignty),” he said. He elaborated that it is important for the country to go beyond the so-called food security and food sufficiency which

the current and previous leaderships had our production was insufficient,” he said. strategic food supply to the country for the been trying to attain. He noted that the agricultural sector economy to thrive and for the country to “Ang food sovereignty para sa amin ni should be able to provide a secure and move on to an industrialized state. Inday Sara ay iyong kalagayan ng ating bansa kung saan ang bawat Pilipino ay hindi na magugutom dahil may sapat na silang pagkain sa hapag-kainan (Food sovereignty for us Inday Sara is when every Filipino will no longer go hungry because they have enough food on the table),” he said. He said it is important the food the put on their table “comes directly from the harvest of our own land.” Marcos said it is only through food sovereignty when people can determine their own destiny as far as their food supply and requirements are concerned, and that the country’s needs will be not subjected anymore to market forces. “We must create a system that would allow Filipinos to reclaim power in the food supply chain. We are basically an agricultural country, so we have the resources and the land and the people to attain that food sovereignty,” he said. “Kailangan lang talaga ang masusi at maayos na programa kasabay ng todong suporta ng pamahalaan sa ating mga magsasaka, livestock raisers at mga mangingisda (We really need a thorough and orderly program along with the full support of the government to our farmers, livestock raisers and fishermen),” he added. Marcos recalled that one of the lessons learned from the Covid19 pandemic is that the country’s food production is insufficient because the development of the agricultural sector has been shelved for the past decades, that it could no longer keep up with the demand of the growing population. “When we could not import food, we did not have enough supply. The reason why we did not have enough supply is that

SAI RAM ASTROLOGER & PSYCHIC MISS DEVI SHAMALA

 NATIONAL NEWS Robredo...

(From page 1)

Robredo said her critics were “wasting their time” in thinking their personal attacks against her would have any effect. She said she was “already battlescarred” after six years “of heavy bashing and trolling.” She said her critics, including fellow presidential bets Marcos, Isko Moreno, and Ping Lacson, were barking up the wrong tree. Lacson warned that the Robredo camp had been infiltrated by communists, while Moreno scored the vice president’s referring to the poor as “those in the fringes of society.” The attacks and insults on her person only served to inflame Robredo’s supporters, who promised to gather at least 100,000 for her rally in Pasig this weekend. It cannot be denied that the RobredoPangilinan tandem’s campaign had been gathering more and more followers com-

President... (From page 1)

joined forces with a presidential aspirant and her team, explaining the big crowd at their rally in General Trias City in Cavite on March 4. Lacson and Remulla immediately came under ﬁre for their statements which the group of Vice President Leni Robredo claimed was “red-tagging” as they denied ties with the communists and their legal fronts. Robredo denouned the alleged “redtagging” as she belied supposed text messages quoting her praising Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder

Marcos...

(From page 1)

noted from the polling results in January. In the senatorial race, the survey also showed that broadcast journalist Raﬀy Tulfo also continued topping reelectionist or comebacking senators and the new

March 17-23, 2022

pared to Marcos Jr., who had cancelled at least six sorties in recent weeks. Just how poorly attendance at the Marcos Jr rallies was inviting was proven over the weekend when senate bet Mark Villar claimed that 500,000 people attended their event at his family’s home turf of Las Pinas. This was disproven by the chief of police of the city, who said that only 5,000 were present at the venue, with another 3,000 more gathered outside. Speaking in the vernacular, Las Pinas police chief Col. Jaime Santos said, “Anyone of sound mind knows that the 500,000 figure is a figment of the imagination. There is no truth to it.” The 5,000 figure is only one percent of the claimed attendance. Meanwhile, Robredo’s momentum continued to move forward at a frantic pace, with bigger and bigger crowds coupled with surprise endorsements from allies of President Rodrigo Duterte giving the vice

president’s supporters reason to believe that there will be a repeat of the bitterly fought race between Robredo and Marcos Jr. in 2016. Governor Ben Evardone, who also serves as vice president of President Duterte’s PDP-Laban party, endorsed Robredo after he said he did so with the approval of Mr. Duterte. Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando also endorsed Robredo this week. This, after the Marcos camp had stated that they were expecting Fernando to endorse their bet soon. Another Dutere ally, Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan, likewise gave his support to the vice president, as did former Sarangani governor Migs Dominguez, nephew of Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez. Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, yet another Duterte ally, earlier endorsed Robredo. Meanwhile, Nueva Ejica Gov. Aurelio

Umali welcomed Marcos Jr. in his second sortie to the province, but still did not endorse nor raise the hand of the presidential bet. He also left while Marcos Jr. was delivering his usual campaign speech. It was an awkward moment as the event was held in the Umali family compound. The latest to endorse the VP’s bid to succeed Mr. Duterte was Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Filipino Muslims AKA Moros have reason to reject Marcos Jr. due to the atrocities committed against them during the martial law era. The camp of Marcos Jr. appeared so disheartened by the massive crowds that had been greeting Robredo that they asked the Commission on Elections to issue a rule limiting the number of participants at rallies to 3,000. This was rejected by the poll body, as the proposal was considered an infringement of the freedom of assembly.

Jose Maria Sison. “Ewan ko ‘yung mga… But what I really am afraid of is the report of the intelligence community. Kung may panahon ka, ipa-brief kita ng ano ng — the intelligence people,” President Duterte said in an interview with controversial Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. “There’s a parang grouping of the communists, itong mga dilawan, pati itong mga — may isa pa, mga… Well, of course itong komunista is already a terrorist organization. So mga dilawan, that’s a… I forgot the other one,” he added. “Iyan ang ano namin, diyan ang ano

ng gobyerno. They are watching for that kind of situation. They might be… Iyon ang sinabi ko na puwedeng manggulo kasi they have these working relations now with the dilawan and the election is the objective really,” he said. Duterte said the government is now looking at this possibility as it may result in a disruption of the May 9 elections. “They are watching for that kind of situation. They might be... Iyon ang sinabi ko na pwedeng manggulo kasi they have these working relations now with the dilawan (I said that can cause trouble because they have these working relations now with the dilawans) and the election

is the objective really,” he added. Asked if he thinks the elections will be clean and honest, Duterte said “I cannot guarantee you that it will be peaceful. There will be one or two or three, and even dito sa Mindanao.” The President made a renewed warning to politicians or groups planning to use violence to advance their political interest in the coming national elections. He particularly mentioned the warring factions in Cotabato, telling those involved: “’I will not allow terrorism sa election. I will not allow violence.’ Kampanya lang kayo. ‘Pag nag — puntahan ko talaga kayo.”

candidates with 66.9 percent. The survey showed Tulfo is followed by Antique Rep. Loren Legarda (58.9 percent), and former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar (56.2 percent), Taguig CityPateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (55 percent), re-electionist Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri (50.5 percent) and Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero (49.8 percent).

Following behind were actor Robin Padilla (47.3 percent), former Vice-President Jejomar Binay (45.6 percent), reelectionist Senators Sherwin Gatchalian (44.6 percent) and Joel Villanueva (42 percent), and former senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada (38.6 percent). Re-electionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista were tied for 12th place with 32.8 percent each, followed by former senator Joseph Victor JV Estrada Ejercito

with 31.6 percent The latest Pulse Asia survey showed Marcos remained as the top choice of voters with 60 percent (unchanged from January), followed by Vice President Maria Leonor Leni Robredo with 15 percent (from 16 percent), Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso with 10 percent (from 8 percent), Sen. Emmanuel Manny Pacquiao with 8 percent (unchanged) and Sen. Panﬁllo Lacson with 2 percent (from 4 percent).

the Metro Manila... placed National

(From page 1) Capital Region, along with 47 other areas, under Alert Level 1, eﬀective March 16, 2022 until March 31, 2022,” Andanar said. Only Metro Manila and 39 other areas have been placed under the most lenient Alert Level 1 for the ﬁrst half of March. The provinces of Nueva Ecija, Zambales, and Batangas, as well as the cities of Lucena, Cebu, Ormoc, Tacloban, and Butuan have been added to the roster of places in the country where Alert Level 1 will be implemented from March 16 to 31, Andanar said. In Luzon, Abra, Apayao, Baguio City, Kalinga, Dagupan City, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan, City of Santiago, Isabela, Quirino Angeles City, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Olongapo City, Pampanga, Tarlac, Cavite, Lagu-

na, Marinduque, Puerto Princesa City, Romblon, Naga City and Catanduanes will stay under Alert Level 1. For the Visayas, Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo City, Siquijor, and Biliran will remain under Alert Level 1. Alert Level 1 in Zamboanga City, Cagayan de Oro City, Camiguin, and Davao City will continue until the end of March. Andanar said the rest of the country will remain under Alert Level 2. “The areas not in the abovementioned list shall be under Alert Level 2 beginning March 16, 2022 until March 31, 2022,” he said. Under Alert Level 1, movement of persons regardless of age and comorbidities is allowed, but with restrictions on crowded and closed spaces and close contact (3Cs) settings. The operations of private establishments and government agencies are likewise allowed at full on-site capacity, subject to minimum public health

standards. The IATF-EID is also still requiring the wearing of well-fitted face masks, except when eating and drinking; participating in team and individual sports in venues where ventilation standards can be maintained; and practicing outdoor sports or exercise activities where physical distance can still be observed. People aged 18 and above must present proof of full vaccination before participating in mass gatherings or entry into indoor establishments like churches, restaurants, fitness studios and gyms, indoor cinemas, meetings and exhibition venues, wedding receptions, birthday parties, hotels and other accommodation establishments, and venues for election-related events. Proof of full vaccination is also required for those aged at least 18 years before entry in confined spaces with poor ventilation; crowded places with no physical distancing; and close-contact settings with face-to-face interaction.

9 March 17-23, 2022 PHL...

This as the government adopted measures to cushion the effects on the protracted Ukrain-Russia war which triggered spiralling of petroleum prices and basic goods. Among the measures are providing additional P200 monthly assistance to the poorest sector which are currently recipients of the 4 Ps, fuel subsidy to farmers, fisherfolk and drivers and public transport operators. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government is studying Alert Level 0 and whether health protocols like wearing of face mask would stay as the threat of Covid-19 continues. Dr. Ted Herbosa, a medical adviser, meanwhile, said that the National Capital Region (NCR) is already eligible for Alert Level 0 classification. Herbosa said Metro Manila mayors have already recommended the shift of the metropolis to Alert Level 0, however, the public should be reminded that Covid-19 still exists. President Rodrigo Duterte, however, reminded the people to continue wearing face masks, telling them that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remains a threat to public health. Covid-19 is still “alive” and “kicking.” Duterte said despite the continued downtrend in cases, especially in the highly populated National Capital Region and the outlying provinces of Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite. From March 7 to 13, the Philippines logged only 4,131 new Covid-19 cases, according to the Department of Health. Duterte said face mask would serve as the public’s weapon against the “uncontrolled” spread of Covid-19 as he called anew on those unvaccinated to get their vaccines. A total of 64,660,228 Filipinos are now fully vaccinated, National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. The government is doubling its vaccination efforts to (From page 1)

complete at least 77 million Filipinos by the end-March and 90 million Filipinos by June 30. Duterte stressed the need to continue observing the minimum public health standards even after the most lenient Alert Level 1 has been implemented in some parts of the country. “I suppose that until we’re in zero, we just maintain the [Alert] Level 1. And wear the mask. Importante talaga iyan (That’s really important). You just maintain. Make it a habit. Make it a habit to wear mask para mas maganda. Iyan ang tandaan ninyo (that’s better. Remember that),” he said. Under Alert Level 1, movement of persons regardless of age and comorbidities is allowed, but with restrictions on crowded and closed spaces and close contact (3Cs) settings. Private establishments and government agencies can also operate at full on-site capacity, subject to minimum public health standards. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the government is further strengthening its inoculation drive in areas remaining under Alert Level 2 to increase vaccination coverage so these can deescalate to Alert Level 1. Vergeire said that there is no new uptick in Covid-19 cases nationwide and the Deltacron is not yet detected in the country. While the Deltacron is not yet a variant of concern, Vergeire urged the public to be vaccinated as protection against other Covid-19 variants circulating worldwide Vergeire said the government is looking forward to having all provinces, highly-urbanized cities and independent component cities under Alert Level 1. Duterte stressed the need to continue observing the minimum public health standards even after the most le-

nient Alert Level 1 has been implemented in some parts of the country. “I suppose that until we’re in zero, we just maintain the [Alert] Level 1. And wear the mask. Importante talaga iyan (That’s really important). You just maintain. Make it a habit. Make it a habit to wear mask para mas maganda. Iyan ang tandaan ninyo (that’s better. Remember that),” he said. Under Alert Level 1, movement of persons regardless of age and comorbidities is allowed, but with restrictions on crowded and closed spaces and close contact (3Cs) settings. Private establishments and government agencies can also operate at full on-site capacity, subject to minimum public health standards. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the government is further strengthening its inoculation drive in areas remaining under Alert Level 2 to increase vaccination coverage so these can deescalate to Alert Level 1. Vergeire said that there is no new uptick in Covid-19 cases nationwide and the Deltacron is not yet detected in the country. While the Deltacron is not yet a variant of concern, Vergeire urged the public to be vaccinated as protection against other Covid-19 variants circulating worldwide Vergeire said the government is looking forward to having all provinces, highly-urbanized cities and independent component cities under Alert Level 1.

 NATIONAL NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

More China intrusions in West Philipine Sea, PHL Rise bared By Jeanne Michael Penaranda MANILA – After the intrusion of the Chinese Navy and militia ships in Philippine waters, officials confirmed there had been intruders in the Philippine Rise, formerly known as Benham Rise, a Philippine territory located approximately 250 kilometers east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela. National Security Council (NSC) deputy director general Rufino Lopez made the revelation during a Senate hearing saying the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard are exhausting all efforts to conduct a “proper” report of the incursions into the Philippine Rise. Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the Department of

Foreign Affairs is set to file protest in connection with the Philippine Rise incursions. The country involved however was not identified. The DFA, through Acting Undersecretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian this week over the People’s Liberation Army – Navy’s (PLAN’s) illegal incursion in the Sulu Sea from 29 January to 01 February 2022. The PLAN Electronic Reconnaissance Ship (Dongdiao-class) with bow number 792 entered Philippine waters without permission, reaching the waters of Palawan’s Cuyo Group of Islands and Apo Island in Mindoro, it was reported. The Philippine Navy vessel BRP Antonio Luna (FF151) challenged PLAN 792, which alleged that it was exercising innocent passage. Its movements, however,

did not follow a track that can be considered as continuous and expeditious, lingering in the Sulu Sea for three days. PLAN 792 also continued its activities in Philippine waters despite being repeatedly directed by the BRP Antonio Luna to leave Philippine waters immediately. In response to the incident, Acting Undersecretary Lazaro demanded that China respect Philippine territory and maritime jurisdiction, and to comply with its obligations under international law, particularly UNCLOS, and direct its vessels to desist from entering Philippine waters uninvited and without permissio “Pagdating po naman sa (When it comes to the) Philippine Rise, the Department of Foreign Aﬀairs will take the necessary course of action which is to ﬁle a diplomatic protest,” Andanar said in a virtual Palace presser.

Stop lying about alliance with CPP-NPA, Robredo told

MANILA – The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conﬂict (NTF-ELCAC) criticized presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo for lying about a deal with members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). NTF-ELCAC Spokesperson for Sectoral Concerns and Communications Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy made this remark after Robredo on Sunday denied rumors linking her and her volunteers to the CPPNPA-NDF. Badoy said Robredo’s camp should stop denying the deal, noting that CPP founder, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison even tweeted his oﬃcial endorsement of her candidacy.

“VP Leni Robredo’s camp should stop insulting the intelligence of the Filipino people by pretending they have not made a pact with the devil, the communist terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF,” she said in a statement. She said the Makabayan Bloc, which she described as “urban operatives of the CPP-NPA-NDF”, also endorsed Robredo. “This endorsement of Leni Robredo is an endorsement of the Central Committee of the CPP-NPA-NDF, an organization that has been designated a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council and that has also been declared a terrorist organization by the Philippines, US, UK, New Zealand, EU, Australia and Canada,” she added. Badoy said Robredo has formed a “tactical alliance”

with communist terrorists that is “mutually beneficial to the both of them.” “And anything that benefits this terrorist organization means more pain and suffering for the Filipino people,” she said. Citing Robredo’s March 4 campaign sortie in Cavite, Badoy said the Vice President even shared the stage with communist “operatives.” She pointed out that Robredo took back her calls for the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC and repeatedly used the term “redtagging” to “silence” those who speak the truth about communist fronts. Badoy said Robredo also promised to resume what she described as “bogus” peace talks should she be elected as president.

1-877-456-9266 www.crispinlozanolaw.com • • • •

Deportation and Removal Defense Waiver of Misrepresentation Self Petition for Abused Spouse Waiver of Crimes and Inadmissibility • Fiancé Visa Petition

1290 B Street, Suite 205 Hayward, CA 94541

• Eliminate Credit Card Debts • Stop Collections and Harassments

17215 Studebaker RD., Suite 337 Cerritos, CA 90703

11 March 17-23, 2022

 OPINION

EDITORIAL

Marcos Jr and his Golden Age lie

t is extremely disturbing to know that millions of Filipinos and even FilAms not only believe but also help spread the blatant lie that is the core of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr’s campaign for the Philippine presidency. His camp says that the martial law era of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was a “golden age” when life in the Philippines was happy, peaceful, and progressive. To be sure, it was indeed. It was happy for Marcos and his cronies who were able to stash billions of dollars in offshore bank accounts and properties. It was peaceful as the entire country was under the gun, with anyone who dared speak against the regime being arrested, tortured, and killed. It was progressive for the same happy cronies and their extended families, who took control of most key industries even when they lacked the expertise and knowhow to make those industries like sugar, coconut, power, and print and broadcast media, among others, attain world class status. Only a powerful few enjoyed Marcos’s golden age, and most of them are now gone. This is one reason why younger Filipinos have been blinded by the audacious claim of Marcos Jr. They have no memory of the martial law era. We at the original Philippine News know better. We know the truth as we have our archives which reported most if not all the corrupt practices of the murderous Marcos regime. Yet another of Marcos Jr’s bigger lies is his claim that he was a young man who had no knowledge of the abuses of his father’s regime. He conveniently ignores the fact that he was even given a rank in the Armed Forces of the Philippines by virtue of a weekend training camp no different from the camping trips of the Boy Scouts. And on that fateful day when the Marcos family was forced to flee the country, Marcos Jr. was dressed in battle fatigues, seemingly ready to fight. In truth, he is known to have favored the bombing of the million-strong crowd that had gathered at Edsa demanding his father’s resignation. It’s almost funny when his sister said Marcos Jr. was “not a coward,” after he had refused to join any of the debates sponsored and organized by legitimate organizations. He only attended one where he knew all the questions to be asked beforehand, and which was rightfully snubbed by the other candidates for president. Indeed, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. is a coward. And a liar. And an incompetent leader. We cannot confirm the claim of President Rodrigo Duterte that he is or was a cocaine addict, but he must have based his accusation on verifiable reports. Maybe it’s why Duterte has refused to endorse Marcos Jr. so far, and even hinted that he would like to see a lawyer succeed him. Marcos is no lawyer. He is not even a valid college graduate. As such, he does not have the credentials to be a good chief executive. Only in his feeble mind has a golden age Philippines ever existed. And if he believes his own lie, he still has no program of government that would lift the country from the present mess it is in. Hopefully, he will not bring the country down with him when Filipinos vote for their next president less than two months from now.

(From page 1)

Upside

West coast..

her country’s Foreign Service drew on her 27-year experience to rally overseas grads to organize in the name of the alma mater. Earliest to respond were alumnae in the United States and Europe. EXPAT SISTERHOOD “Our vision of engagement for expat grads is first to connect so that our links could be strengthened for our ‘Knoller community to grow into a kind of sisterhood CHERIE M. QUEROL MORENO wherever we are in the world,” Thomeczek told author. “Then, according to their objectives, chapters can set themselves into action at their own pace, according to their interests. They can help one another, do projects which they think are important and relevant.” Washington, California and Texas alums of diverse generations responded vigorously. Southern California-based Saturnina “Nina” de Joya Ablang lost no time in forming the first international MMCAA chapter with Donnaville Ortiz-Zabala and Raphalyn Perez-Santos of Washington State, Katherine Denice De Jesus Aquino of Northern California, Graciela Sin Remolona of Texas, Maria Theresa Velasco-Gonzales of Northern California, and Rea Badillo Alim of Southern California. Ablang heralded their goals at their induction last month as to: “Unite Knollers to form a safe, supportive, productive, vibrant community; promote the Maryknoll Spirit in line with the Holy Spirit for character and team building, and do good works so as to improve life and environment.” A cradle ‘Knoller who graduated high school in 1986 shortly before Maryknoll became Miriam College in 1989, Ablang touted her team’s accomplishments just months from formation. She said they have recruited the most members including the first alumnus and first honorary members from MMC faculty, administration and employees - Bernadette Windsor and Sophia Arce. They were the first to elect an overseas board of directors and set a vision, mission statement and goals: “To reflect the fruit of God’s spirit by serving as a catalyst for advancement.” They also were first to gather at a virtual holiday party led by Chapter coordinator Grace Angel. This month they will launch a project for PCR testing and administering free Pfizer booster shots for Los Angeles-area Knollers, their families and friends under the direction of board director Alim. They may be reached at mmcaa.westcoast@gmail. com. Thomeczek commended the premier chapter for their enthusiasm in “heeding the call.” “They are the pioneers. Just as we in Manila navigated the organization of these chapters full of hope, we will certainly face birth pains with birth joys! So we move ahead, full of trust, of hope and joy,” says Thomeczek, who retired in 2018 and occasionally gets involved with the Dept. of Foreign Affairs including helping establish a cooperative for DFA retirees. EYE ON CENTENNIAL “Most important… is that we can now have a more formal channel of communication to Knollers abroad. They can be given updates about MC directly. Perhaps they can help promote MC abroad and among their relatives (to boost enrollment). We also want them to be part of MC’s 100th anniversary in 2026,”(Continued on page 24)

Philippine News Today is published weekly by Philippines Today LLC with business and editorial oﬃces at 1290 bayshore hwy unit 151Burlingame ca 94010 Phone no . 650-872-3200 E-fax # 650-745-1442 and website address www.pnewstoday.com and email address advertising@philippinestodayus.com or editor@philippinestodayus.com MANILA OFFICE: Le Marquis Townhomes, 51 P. Tuazon Blvd. Quezon City 1112, Tels. 8546.8426, 8451.1892, 8546.8421

FRANCIS ESPIRITU MARILYN B. KING

Vice President for Sales and Marketing

BETING LAYGO DOLOR Manila Editor

JUNNI RANILLO

Entertainment Editor

ANGELO LOPEZ Cartoonist

ELEANOR SMITH Oﬃce Manager

NICK SAGMIT GEORGE GANGE RENE AVENIDO

Photo Correspondents

Publisher/President

THELMA L. CRUZ

Vice President for Operations & Promotions

CHERIE QUEROL MORENO Executive Editor

NEIL GONZALES

Chief Correspondent Northern California

LYDIA SOLIS

Chief Correspondent Southern California

MA. CECILIA G. MADELO Graphic Director

GILDA PASION BALAN FRANCO G. REGALA ALI MACABALANG JEANNE MICHAEL PENARANDA Manila Correspondents

ALFRED G. GABOT Editor-in-chief

CLAIRE M. TRUE Managing Editor

JO ERLINDA YABUT Entertainment Editor

THOMAS G. MADELO JR. Creative Director

BLESIE D. SISON ALBERT MARTINEZ RENE AMON Account Executives

VAL G. ABELGAS, HOMOBONO A. ADAZA, PERRY DIAZ, JOJO LIANGCO, JO ERLINDA G. NEBRES, ROY C. MABASA, ART G. MADLAING, FR. JOEPEL PADIT, RODEL E. RODIS, LOURDES TANCINCO ESQ, MELANDREW T. VELASCO, DANTES & CYNTHIA VELUZ, CRISTINA OSMENA, LUDY ONGKEKO. COLUMNISTS

The views and opinions expressed herein by writers, columnists and advertisers are their own and do not necessarily reﬂect those of the publisher, management and staﬀ of Philippines Today. We are not responsible for incorrect printing, photographical errors or information listed or for loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts. Reproduction or redistribution in whole or in part is prohibited.

 OPINION

March 17-23, 2022

PerryScope

INCE 1947, WHEN THE Science and Security Board (SSB) of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists met for the first time to perform its annual ritual of setting the time on the “Doomsday Clock,” the scientists initially agreed to set the clock to 11:53 PM or seven minutes to midnight. The SSB is a select group of globPERRY DIAZ ally recognized leaders with a specific focus on nuclear risk, climate change, and disruptive technologies. They hang the clock on a wall in the Bulletin’s office at the University of Chicago to remind everybody how close we were to the threat of global nuclear war. Since then, the clock has been set as close or as far as midnight. In 1972, the clock was set to 11:48 PM or 12 minutes to midnight when the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. In 1984, the clock was set once again to 11:57 PM when tensions escalated between the U.S. and the Soviet Union when the arms race intensified. The U.S. deployed Pershing II medium-range ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in Western Europe. In 1991, the clock was set to 11:43 PM or 17 minutes to midnight, the earliest setting since its inception, when the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and the collapse of the Soviet Union thereafter. In January 2015, the clock was set to 11:57 PM or three minutes to midnight, the closest we were to doomsday since 1984. It was due to the modernization of nuclear weapons in the U.S. and Russia, the specter of a new Cold War, the problem of nuclear waste, and the danger of global climate change. In January 2020, the minute hand was moved 30 seconds forward from two and a half minutes to two minutes before midnight. But the worst has yet to come. “Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers — nuclear war and climate change — that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond,” the SSB said. Ukraine invasion On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “illegal and dangerous” invasion of Ukraine and placing Russia’s nuclear armaments on high alert, which the SSB considers to be the gravest danger to humanity, has set the Doomsday Clock to 100 seconds to midnight, the closest it ever been to apocalypse. By threatening to use nuclear weapons or launching a “First Strike” nuclear attack against the U.S. and her NATO allies if war breaks out between Russia and the NATO alliance, it has brought a nightmare scenario to life, which sets the Doomsday Clock to 30 seconds to midnight. Biden’s mental paralysis But the problem is that President Joe Biden has encouraged Putin – by vowing not to get involved in the Ukraine war -- to flaunt using his nuclear weapons if the U.S. and her NATO allies would send troops to Ukraine. By playing the threat of “World War III,” Putin has disarmed Biden and tied his hands behind his back. Biden, the other day even said, “Don’t kid yourself, but once we enter the war, it will be World War III,” which makes one wonder: “If Russia attacks the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – which would be next after Ukraine -- would America and the NATO countries send their troops to fight the Russians? How about the two nonNATO countries of Moldova and Georgia? The other day, the Moldovan Prime Minister requested joining NATO because they know they’re next on Putin’s crosshairs. Taken aback, Secretary of State Antony Blinken didn’t respond. He could at least reassure the Moldovan Prime Minister that he’d relay the request. It would seem that the entire Biden administration – Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, fourstar General Mark Milley – had succumbed to a debilitating mental paralysis, unable to act when threatened with nuclear annihilation. But the truth is: America’s leadership’s amnesia has its provenance since Biden hastily withdrew American troops from Afghanistan last year. It gave Putin the go-signal that he could do anything he wanted (Continue on page 27)

Real Estate & You now available at Amazon

s book author and columnist, I consider the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown as a “blessing in disguise” for me. The pandemic lockdown enabled me to focus on writing and completing not only the two best-selling books “LIFESTYLE FOR LONGEVITY” subtitled “How to ART GABOT MADLAING be Healthy Emotionally, Financially, Physically, Sexually and Spiritually,” “HISTORICITY OF JESUS” subtitled “Facts and Evidences for Agnostics, Atheists, Believers and Christians,” but also the third book “Real Estate & You (Revised 2022 Edition) subtitled “Your Basic Guide and Information for Successful Investing in Home, Land and Income Property.” Atty. Cesar Fumar, licensed and practicing lawyer both in California and in the Philippines, wrote the Foreword to “Real Estate & You” (Revised 2022 Edition). The upcoming book will be printed and marketed by Amazon on March 31, 2022. Here are some reviews and comments on the upcoming book: “Yes, this book is understandable for folks who haven’t spent years studying real estate laws and practices. It can save you money!” explained Patrick Andersen, Editor, Asian Week, San Francisco, California USA. “This book is a must reading for anyone deciding and planning to invest in real estate anywhere in the world,” said Henry T. Bravo, Elder, SURREY CHURCH OF CHRIST, Vancouver, B.C. Canada. “Art Madlaing’s book is very informative and beneficial to anyone especially for first-time buyers and newly-married couples,” said Atty. Jack White, a star witness during the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito in Washington, D.C. USA. “Very readable and easy to understand, which should be about right for my ability,” wrote Bernice Bowen, AVON Lady, San Francisco, California USA. “I commend and salute Art Madlaing for writing this book. Every Christian couple and family must read it and follow the guidebook for financial stability,” echoed Felix L. Olidan, Jr. Evangelist and Minister, WANCHAI CHURCH OF CHRIST, Wanchai, Hongkong. “I highly recommend ‘Real Estate &You’ (Revised 2022 Edition) to individuals, couples and families,” said Atty. Junas T. Sagurit, President, Asian Christian University (ACU), Bugallon, Pangasinan, Philippines. “Art Madlaing leads by example. As homeowner and land investor, he shared the concepts he had actually done and practiced. I highly recommend his book to every family and individual,” echoed Darryl Darden, retired U.S. Army Officer and former Elder, WEISBADEN CHURCH OF CHRIST in Weisbaden, Germany; and HAMPTON CHURCH OF CHRIST in Hampton, Virginia USA. “This book is excellent and must reading for the first-time buyers and home sellers. I personally recommend it to everyone interested in real estate,” wrote Josie Lewis, mother and grandmother who retired at the Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco, California USA. “Art Madlaing’s book on real estate is very informative. I have to commend him for his pioneering efforts in writing this book,” said Ronald Quidachay, Superior Court Judge, San Francisco, California USA. “The concepts shared by Art Madlaing in his book, particularly his updated real estate columns, are very helpful for first-time homebuyers, home sellers and prospective land investors,” explained Cris P. Villanueva, CPA and former Vice Mayor, Vallejo, California USA. “Art Madlaing is the most knowledgeable Real Estate Broker I know with proven honesty and integrity,” wrote Rudy Q. Vergara, Real Estate Broker, Daly City, California USA. “Mr. Madlaing is highly qualified to write on his chosen subject. We recommend his work to anyone interested in real estate,” echoed Oscar L. Jornacion, MBA, CPA, Los Angeles, California USA. “I personally recommend this book to young professionals, entrepreneurs and millennials like me,” said Ferdinand Lewis, Entrepreneur who graduated Summa Cum Laude at Fisk University in Memphis, Ten- (Continue on page 27)

Health & Wealth

Thirty seconds to midnight

Are Filipinos ready if China invades?

By A�y. Chris Caday Lozano

hat is going on in Ukraine is more of a surprise and lack of preparation. With the annexation of Crimea in 2014, they should have strengthened their armed forces and relationship with the Western countries. And now most of the Ukrainians were surprised that Mr. Putin made good his treat of invasion. This is the same kind of belief among Filipinos that China will not annex or invade the Philippines. If you have a sense of history on how a country is invaded and annexed, the most concrete example is to look at the history of Europe. So many times, the maps and boundaries in the countries of Europe are rewritten because of invasion by neighboring country. The latest casualty of annexation is Crimea which is annexed by Russia from Ukraine. And now Russia is trying to annex the whole of Ukraine. This is a clearer message that what many Filipinos believe that being friendly to China will deter them to invade or annex the Philippines. We should be prepared for the worst circumstances and read the current situation. We should be prepared to defend our country. We cannot expect Americans to defend us when we ourselves are not the majority of boots on the ground. We cannot rely on negotiations with China because they always use their money and military power to get one over us. The Philippines is a very rich country in natural resources and China has been preparing to annex or invade the Philippines. China is doing everything to achieve this objective. First, they help the current president in the 2016 election. Now China is publicly supporting the administration candidates BBM and Sara who are friendly to China. Second, they have bought a lot of land in the areas needed for landing ships like in Bataan, Cagayan, Zambales, Cavite, Cebu, and Palawan. Third, they have sent millions of Chinese nationals to work for POGO which can ultimately be used as their spies and army. Ukrainians are moving out of Ukraine in massive numbers to other European countries. We Filipinos cannot move in masse because there were no countries friendly to us. The current administration did not participate in the Asean countries ﬁghting against Chinese aggression. Where are we going? In this election we need to elect leaders who will not be Chinese puppet as in the current administration. Otherwise, we will lost everything and gain nothing. For more details about situations in the Philippines, please watch Lapidﬁre on You Tube and Facebook. This is the personal opinion of the writer and not the publisher. Crispinlozano@gmail.com

13 March 17-23, 2022

 OPINION

Offline

raditionally, in Philippine presidential elections, candidates invest heavily to win the highest public office, spending billions of pesos on campaign ads, travels, rallies and on a huge army of ground workers to lure voters and make sure they cast their ballots on Dday. Candidates even over- MANNY MOGATO spent despite the limits set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to secure the position by hook or by crook. They do not only spend millions of pesos on media advertisement, posters, tarpaulins and billboards, but on logistics during provincial sorties during the 90-day campaign for those running for national office. A 30-second TV ad could cost a low of P250,000 depending on the time slot and broadcast network. ABS-CBN used to corner political advertisements shown during prime time programs. They also spend money for local political officers to do on the ground campaigning. For a presidential candidate, for instance, there should be at least one political officer to marshall supporters in each of the 42,000 barangays nationwide. Forget the small and remote barangays. But the candidates still need an army to do the groundwork and an enormous amount is required to make them work, targeting large barangays in the provinces and in urban centers. One barangay in Mandaluyong City has more than 40,000 people and more than 70 percent are eligible to vote. Quezon City has the most number of voters at 1.4 million. There are about 65 million voters in the May elections. The candidates also have to “buy” the loyalties of local government officials in every province, city, and town as well as congressional districts and party-list groups to ensure victory at the polls. There were estimates that a candidate needed at least P5 billion to run a decent campaign. The amount was way, way above the limits set by the Comelec but no candidate would honestly admit the exact amount he or she had spent during the campaign. Many candidates actually started campaigning a year before the filing of certificates of candidacy and the actual campaign period. The candidates’ statements of campaign expenditures were usually under-reported to meet the requirements of the law. There is a need to amend the Comelec rules on election campaign spending and the entire election campaign finance law. It is unrealistic. It makes politicians hypocrites and liars. There is one honest politician who paid the price for overspending. Before the pandemic, expenses during the 90-day campaign were mindblowing. Imagine how much the candidates spent for air and land travels. The hotel accommodation and allowances for campaign staff. They spent money on every movement and every activity. Even if there are donors and partners, campaign spending is a big burden. When they hold rallies or “miting de avance,” a fortune is spent for the venue, the crowd and for entertainers to liven up the crowd. Ordinary people normally do not go to political rallies to listen to candidates who make the same promises, they go to these rallies for entertainment. They go to see movie stars and the candidates but not for speeches. But the May 2022 presidential elections are different. This could be the first time since the country won its independence in 1946 when a presidential candidate will spend less for a campaign because an army of loyal and dedicated supporters are willing to pay for their own food, transportation, and campaign materials. It’s a people-driven campaign not seen in Philippine elections when the candidates are known to be buying the support of the people. It’s a middle-class revolt that partly fueled the popular uprising against a dictatorship in 1986 and later against a corrupt president in 2001. It’s a reaction to five years of (Continue on page 27)

Surveys do not reﬂect realities on the ground

recent survey released by Pulse Asia on voter preference among presidential candidates for the May 9 elections showed Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. still leading the 10man pack with 60 percent of the 2,400 respondents saying they would vote for the young Marcos. The survey also says Vice VAL G. ABELGAS President Leni Robredo got 15%, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, 10%; Sen. Manny Pacquiao, 8%; and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, 2%. Atty. Vic Rodriguez, the Marcos spokesman who speaks more about issues than his client does, was quick to claim that the result debunks the “fake narrative” forced by “some small segment of our society” regarding current voter preference. In response, Atty. Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesman, said the survey did not reflect yet the “snowballing” of support for his candidate in recent weeks. Gutierrez was actually being respectful of Pulse Asia, whose surveys have been questioned by some political pundits. For one, the survey results have not much changed from their early results, with Marcos getting just around 60% and Robredo hovering between 10 and 15 percent, and the others barely scratching the surface. The surveys simply do not reflect realities on the ground. Robredo’s recent rallies, for example, have drawn massive crowds, capped by the more than 70,000 people who attended her rally at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City. The Marcos camp tried to question the crowd estimates but the aerial photos and the videos of those who joined the rally that spilled over to the streets surrounding the huge sports stadium belie their doubts. The day before, more than 40,000 attended the rally in nearby Iloilo City. Huge crowds also met Robredo and her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, in Marcos’ supposed “Solid North” in Cagayan and Isabela, with supporters carrying banners that proudly proclaimed “Awan Solid North” (There is no Solid North). The week before, more than 47,000 supporters rejected their governor Jovic Remulla’s vow that he would deliver 800,000 votes for Marcos in the vote-rich province. Despite road closures that suddenly appeared around the rally site in General Trias, thousands of Cavitenos trekked to the venue. Robredo, whose convoy was stalled by the traffic resulting from the road closures, had to request a motorcyclist to let her ride behind on his tiny scooter and bring her to the rally venue, much to the cheers of the waiting crowd. This show of determination and humility has endeared Robredo to millions of Filipinos all over the country, prompting the undecided and the apolitical to join her many campaign sorties and the snowballing support has been evident in her rallies. Andrew Marasaigan, a Manila Bulletin columnist, also questioned the veracity of some surveys because he said some respondents are posturing, meaning some of them feel the need to conform with the majority, bend to social pressures, or succumb to intimidation. He offered as more reliable alternative the results of Google Trends, which shows the following results for the country’s various regions (involving only the two top rivals): Metro Manila – Robredo 59, Marcos 41; Calabarzon – Robredo 61, Marcos 39; Central Luzon – Robredo 57, Marcos 43; Central Visayas – Robredo 56, Marcos 44; Ilocos Region – Robredo 48, Marcos 52; CAR – Robredo 60, Marcos 40; CARAGA – Robredo 68, Marcos 32; Cagayan Valley – Robredo 54, Marcos 46; Bicol Region – Robredo 69, Marcos 32; Western Visayas - Robredo 61, Marcos 39; Eastern Visayas – Robredo 55, Marcos 45; Central Visayas – Robredo 56, Marcos 44; Northern Mindanao – Robredo 58, Marcos 42; Davao Region – Robredo 53, Marcos 47; Zamboanga Peninsula – Robredo 59, Marcos 41; SOCCSKARGEN – Robredo 59, Marcos 41; MIMAROPA – Robredo 58, Marcos 42; ARMM – Robredo 70, Marcos 30. Another ground reality that has not been reflected in Pulse Asian surveys is the fact that Robredo has gained unprecedented endorsements from a cross section of the population – from workers, to students, to professors, business leaders, (Continue on page 27) lawyers, and many others.

On Distant Shore

residential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s candidacy is being exposed for what it truly is – all smoke and mirrors with no substance or foundation to stand on. From the start, he has been harping a message of “unity,” to the point of calling his running mate and their chop suey senate line up as the Uniteam. BETING DOLOR When asked how he will handle the very serious problems the Philippines will be facing in the next few years, the son and namesake of the late dictator always answers “unity.” He seems to believe that mouthing a generic, motherhood statement is more than enough to propel him to the presidency. Never mind that he has been hemming and hawing where his stand on important issues are concerned. Consider that he initially said that the Philippines should maintain a neutral stance where the Russian invasion of Ukraine is concerned. After it became clear that Filipinos were leaning heavily towards Ukraine, he suddenly said that Russia should respect its neighbor’s independence, or words to that effect. Now with gasoline prices skyrocketing, Junior proved what a wishy washy candidate he is by taking opposing stands on the suspension fuel excise tax. First he favored it, then he was against it. Someone must have whispered in his ear that he was on the wrong side of the economic realities. And so it goes. That he knows little of how poor Filipinos live showed when he said that galunggong should be raised in fish pens so the poor could feed themselves. He didn’t know that the fish known as scad or blue mackerel cannot be raised in pens, and is no longer a poor man’s dish. Only the rich and the middle class can afford this fish nowadays. Out of touch much, Junior? Just like your son who had no clue on what domestic helpers are and what they do for the economy, but at a huge social cost. Junior has avoided attending debates because he and his handlers know that he will probably embarrass himself with his lack of knowledge on the key issues of the day. But this has boomeranged on him, as his fading popularity can attest. Late last week, his own sister, Senator Imee Marcos, advised Junior to attend the debates because his nonappearance has been used by his opponents to prove that he is a coward. Still, he refused to join the coming debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections, offering not even the lamest of excuses for refusing to engage his opponents in any kind of verbal exchange, friendly or otherwise. Perhaps his biggest worry is the massive crowds that have been attending the rallies of Vice President Leni Robredo. Everywhere she goes, tens of thousands of adoring fans and followers show up. Meanwhile, Junior can only bring in paid crowds to his rallies, and only a few thousands show up at best. His poorly attended rallies hit a new low recently when attendees complained of cell phones and wallets being stolen. The victims then went on stage, sometimes begging the pickpockets to return the lost items and keep the money. The solution of Junior’s handlers was to ban all appeals to return stolen items in future rallies. In contrast, when attendees invariably lose their cell phones or wallets during Robredo rallies, they are always returned intact. The huge Robredo rallies have caused such consternation in Junior’s camp that they have asked the Comelec to limit the number of attendees to 3,000, which is about the usual number who show up in Junior’s events. Typical Robredo rallies have been in the tens of thousands attending and her crowds continue to swell. It should be noted that the typical Junior crowds appear listless and unexcited, with some even leaving even before the presidential wannabe does his unity spiel. By comparison, the Leni events are always happy ones, with big name performers showing up for free. Case in point is songbird Kuh Ledesma, who admitted that she was offered a huge sum to (Continue on page 27)

A ﬁrst in Philippine election history: People-driven campaign IN THE TRENCHES

Junior’s smoke and mirrors show

 BUSINESS | IMMIGRATIONS Immigrants who may need a waiver of inadmissibility If you entered the United States using a different name or committed a crime then you need a waiver of inadmissibility under Form I-601 so that you can process your green card. Q: What grounds of inadmissibility may be covered by a waiver? A: The following grounds of inadmissibility under the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA) are as follows: health-related grounds, criminal and related grounds, immigrant membership in a totalitarian party, misrepresentation in immigration matters, smugglers, subject to civil penalty, and unlawful presence in the U.S. for at least 180 days, beginning on or after April 1, 1997, followed by departure from the U.S. Q: How long is the validity of the waiver? A: If the waiver is granted, then, except for K-1 and K-2 nonimmigrant’s and conditional permanent residents, the grant permanently waives fraud or willful misrepresentation included in the application for purposes of any future immigration benefits application, whether immigrant or nonimmigrant. The waiver remains valid even if the person later abandons or otherwise loses LPR status. Q: If you are a conditional permanent resident, is the waiver also permanent in nature? A: For conditional permanent residents, the waiver only becomes valid indefinitely if and when the conditions are removed from his or her permanent resident status. Conversely, termination of the conditional permanent resident status also terminates the validity of the waiver. Q: Does the waiver cover all grounds of inadmissibility? A: A waiver applies only to the specific grounds of inadmissibility and related crimes, events or incidents specified in the waiver application. If, in the future, the applicant is found inadmissible for a separate incident of fraud or willful misrepresentation not already included in an approved waiver application, he or she will be required to file another waiver application. USCIS may reconsider an approval of a waiver at any time if it is determined that the decision has been made in error. Q: Are there conditions for the grant of a Waiver to K-1 or K-2 nonimmigrant visa applicants? A: If the applicant seeks a waiver to obtain a fiancé (e) visa (K-1 or K-2), the waiver’s approval is conditioned upon the K-1 nonimmigrant marrying the U.S. citizen who filed the fiancé (e) petition. The waiver becomes permanent once the K-1 marries the petitioner. Q: What happens to the waiver if the K-1 nonimmigrant does not marry the petitioner? A: In general, if the K-1 nonimmigrant does not marry the petitioner, the K-1 and K-2 (if applicable) will remain inadmissible for purposes of any application for a benefit on any basis other than the proposed marriage between the K-1 and the K nonimmigrant visa petitioner. Q: What happens if at the time of entry, the immigration officer declares the visa holder inadmissible based on documentary requirements? A: If an applicant procured an immigration benefit by fraud or willful misrepresentation, the applicant may also be inadmissible for lack of documentary requirements at the time of entry. When an applicant is granted a waiver for fraud or willful misrepresentation, inadmissibility based on lack of documentary requirements at the time of entry is also implicitly waived. Q: Can you give an example of the above? A: For example, an applicant misrepresents a material fact during the overseas nonimmigrant visa application process. The Department of State, however, grants her a visa. Later, she applies for adjustment of status. During her adjustment interview, an officer discovers her misrepresentation and finds her inadmissible for both willful misrepresentation and failure to comply with documentary requirements. The applicant then applies for a waiver of inadmissibility for willful misrepresentation. Approval of the waiver has the effect of waiving inadmissibility for willful misrepresentation and for the lack of a valid visa at the time of entry. Note: This is not a legal advice. You should consult with an immigration attorney about the specifics of your case. Immigration News The DHS issued a new guidelines for the arrest and deportation of undocumented immigrants. The guidelines focused on national security. crimes and border security as the government priority. Success Stories For the month of February 2022, we received approvals from USCIS four naturalization applications, two Fiancée visa petitions, three removal of condition on residence and four adjustment of status applications. Philippine Stories If BBN win the election, China will take over the country because BBM wanted to continue what has been started by Pres. Duterte. This situation will cause the Philippines to be a bankrupt country and will bring us in the same situation as Ukraine or Cuba. Listen to Percy Lapid (or Lapid Fire) and Waldy Carbonell on You Tube and Facebook for details and more corruption in the government. If you have immigration problems the Law Offices of Crispin C. Lozano can help you find a solution before your problem gets worse which could lead to deportation and family separation. Chris Caday Lozano, Esq. is an active member of the State Bar of California, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and San Francisco Trial Lawyers. He practices immigration law, bankruptcy and income tax preparation since June 1999. His contact phone is 1-877-456-9266, email: info@CCLlaw.net Website: www.crispinlozanolaw.com/

March 17-23, 2022

BSP: PHL logs record-high FDI inflows at $10.5 billion in 2021 MANILA – The Philippines recorded its highest foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows in 2021 amounting to US$10.52 billion, increasing by 54.2 percent from US$6.82 billion the previous year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported. FDIs continued to gain momentum last year despite two major lockdowns both in the first and second semesters of the year due to a surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases. “The growth in FDI reflected positive foreign investor sentiment on the country amid expectations of a rebound of domestic economic activity and declining Covid-19 reported cases, as well as the strengthening of the global economy,” the BSP said in a statement. The 2021 FDIs surpassed the US$10.3 billion net FDIs in 2017. The central bank said FDI net inflows last year grew on the back of the 80.4-percent increase in net investments in debt instruments amounting to US$7.5 billion from US$2.4 billion in 2020.

Reinvestment of earnings rose 34.7 percent to US$1.3 billion last year from 2020’s value of US$944 million. Net investments in equity capital other than reinvestment of earnings slightly grew by 0.7 percent to US$1.72 billion in 2021 from US$1.71 billion the previous year. Top sources of equity capital placements last year were Singapore, Japan, the United States, and the Netherlands, with bulk of investments infused in sectors of manufacturing; electricity, gas, steam, and air-conditioning; ﬁnancial and insurance; and real estate. For December 2021 alone, FDI net inﬂows rose 59 percent to US$1.1 billion from US$671 million in the same month in 2020.

Public-private tie-up positions Makati as PHL’s Silicon Valley MAKATI CITY – Makati City has been selected as a pilot city for the Innovative Cities initiative, a collaboration of public and private sector and the academe, positioning the country’s prime central business district as its own Silicon Valley. This was disclosed by Digital Pilipinas which has partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments and Resilience Innovation Sustainability and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Certiﬁcation Program for the Innovative Cities initiative, which aims to boost the country’s innovation and technology quotient. The initiative targets to tech up one city at a time to support local economies and expand their industries through innovation and technology. “The only way we can collectively increase the country’s technology and innovation quotient is if we localize the response to innovation and technology,” Digital Pilipinas convenor Amor Maclang said during the initiative’s launch last week. Maclang said in a PNA report the partnership is eyeing to tech up the 31 cities identiﬁed by the Digital Cities Program of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The program aims to support the growth of digital startups in these cities. “We are looking forward to creating a sandbox environment to inspire entrepreneurs to develop disruptive ideas

and not be afraid to take risks because the DTI has put in place policies to support their journey. They say it takes a village to run a successful business. Luckily, we’re bringing in the entire city of Makati and the support of national line agencies to help these businesses,” Maclang added. Investment holding firm RONIN cofounder and chief executive officer Yani de Guzman said tech startups will grow with proper access to funds and mentoring. “What we hope to do is to provide them (startups) the PHP500,000 financial aid when they reach certain milestones to ensure that the grant is helping them create a sustainable business, develop their structures, and form a solid legal foundation for their businesses. We will show and give them an opportunity to pitch their ideas in front of qualified investors,” de Guzman added. DTI Undersecretary Rafelita Aldaba said innovation and technology also supports the country’s industrial policy. “We view these new technologies as drivers to achieve an inclusive, resilient and sustainable industrial development using new technologies like AI, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, and advanced manufacturing, including Internet of Things, blockchain, industrial biotech, cloud computing, advanced materials, micro and nanoelectronics, satellite and cognitive technologies,” Aldaba said.

 ENTERTAINMENT

March 17-23, 2022

TIMELESS SEASONS

Asia’s Nightingale Ms. Lani Misalucha and the King of Pop Ballad Mr. Nonoy Zuniga will be trailblazing a new kind of a mega show for the Fil Am audience with a fresh concept from top caliber production team. Both Lani and Nonoy will be joined by equally high powered guest performers WACOPA Champion and Singer’s Singer

Jed Madela and Jazz Diva Louie Reyes, Jed Madela will not be performing in Beverly Hills and Seattle. Garth Garcia will perform in Beverly Hills and Tim Pavino will perform in Seattle, presented by Sendwave, a fee-free money transfer app for sending money to the philippines and Radiant Beauty Skin Care Med Spa. TIMELESS SEASONS is the most anticipated concert of the year as it will be a spectacular showcase of the best and the most respected Fil Am based artists and experts in the industry. This concert is a brainchild of LA’s top producer Amore Entertainment under the helm of Ms. Pia Legaspi. Fresh from the successful record breaking US concert tour of First Light by Bamboo and Arnel Pineda and the modest success of Rock Star Ely Buendia, Amore Entertainment promises that this will be a blockbuster concert tour. This is created and directed by top US based Musical Director Louie Ilustre and will be under the stage direction of Vic Perez. TIMELESS Seasons will be the ﬁrst collaborative work of again the most respected people of the Entertainment Industry. Aside from Mr. Ilustre and Mr. Perez manning the show, top Fil Am Fashion Designer of the Stars in Hollywood, Oliver Tolentino, no less will be dressing up the artists and he is creating a (Continue on page 19)

Special screening of ‘Ang Kababaihan ng Malolos’ set

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. annually celebrates National Women’s Month in accordance to Proclamation No. 227, which provides for the observance of the Month of March as the “Women’s Role in History Month”. The Sentro Rizal Washington D.C. in partnership with EdukSine invites everyone to a special virtual screening of the Filipino indie film “Ang Kababaihan ng Malolos” directed by award-winning directors Sari Dalena and Kiri Dalena. The film dramatizes the events from 1888 to 1906 when the Women of Malolos worked for the liberation of the country and of Filipino women. The film will have english subtitles available.

The screening will be held from 20 until 26 March 2022 through EdukSine’s online video streaming platform (https://app.eduksine. com/). Interested viewers in the United States and the Caribbean are invited to register through https://forms.gle/gcP9eGLG5ypUuLtk9. Tickets are limited and will provided on a first come first serve basis. As a culmination of the 6-year theme “We Make Change Work for Women”, this year’s sub theme “Agenda ng Kababaihan, Tungo sa Kaunlaran” aims to celebrate the great strides achieved by women and to continue making their voices heard, exercising their right to choose, and raising priority issues that would improve our society.

17 March 17-23, 2022

 ENTERTAINMENT ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY SA PAMAMAGITAN NITO na ang mga sumusunod na panukala ay pagbobotohan ng mga kuwalipikadong manghahalal ng County ng San Mateo sa Martes, ika-7 ng Hunyo, 2022 sa Pambuong Estado Direktang Primaryang Halalan. MGA PANUKALA NG DISTRITO NG PAARALAN DISTRITO NG PAARALAN NG BELMONT-REDWOOD SHORES PANUKALANG BUWIS SA PARSELA PANUKALA___(KINAKAILANGAN NG 2/3 NA PAGAPRUBA) Upang protektahan ang mga pangunahing programang pang-akademiko sa agham, teknolohiya, inhenyeriya, pagbabasa, pagsusulat, sining, musika at matematika para sa mga estudyante ng elementarya at panggitnang paaralan, panatilihin ang mga pinabilis na mga programa sa matematika, panatilihing bukas ang mga aklatan, at panitilihin ang lubos na kuwalipikadong mga guro, dapat bang pagtibayin ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralan ng Belmont-Redwood Shores na nagpapanibago ng bisa ng kasulukuyang $292 na taunang mga buwis sa parsela, magkakaloob ng $3,500,000 taun-taon sa loob ng sampung taon, may independyenteng pagbabantay, mga taunang pagaakma, mga pagkalibre ng nakatatanda, walang mga pondo para sa mga suweldo ng tagapangasiwa, at lahat ng pondo ay mananatili sa mga lokal na paaralan?

“Domination” in Dubai: Gigi De Lana and The Gigi Vibes rock the Jubilee Stage of Expo 2020 Dubai before 10,000 fans

Red hot Filipina singer and her band to perform next in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain and pure joy went full force at the one-hour concert at Jubilee Stage. Thousands of fans armed with cell phones took shots and recorded videos of Gigi and her band, danced, and sang along with their songs, both covers and originals. “Ang sarap ng pagtanggap sa amin ng mga kabayan namin dito. Maraming, maraming salamat po (It was so heartwarming to see how our countrymen welcomed and received us here. Thank you very much)!” an overwhelmed and grateful De Lana told the DUBAI, UAE - It was a ﬁery segue from a sold-out kick-oﬀ concert in Manila just last March 5 to a high energy, super packed Jubilee Stage before 10,000 screaming fans at the Expo 2020 Dubai on March 12. This was what burning hot Filipina singer-actress Gigi De Lana and her band, The Gigi Vibes, did last weekend as they brought their “Domination” concert tour to the Middle East. “Live events are back with a vengeance,” said ABS-CBN Managing Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa and Global Head of Events Joseph A. Garcia. “We at ABS-CBN TFC, together with our presenting partner, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, are so delighted and grateful to start our Filipino events calendar this year with a bang. Gigi De Lana and The Gigi Vibes truly celebrated Filipino pride and showcased world-class Filipino talent on the world stage right here at Expo 2020 Dubai.” From their arrival at the Dubai International Airport to their Meet and Greet at the Al Ghurair Centre in Deira in the heart of beautiful Old Dubai, hordes of fans have been following Gigi and her band with almost the heartfelt excitement of seeing loved ones after a long period of separation. The electric vibes of positivity

Oo ________ Hindi ________ DISTRITO NG PAARALAN NG BRISBANE PANUKALANG BUWIS SA PARSELA PANUKALA___ (KINAKAILANGAN NG 2/3 NA PAGAPRUBA) Upang magkaloob ng mga guro/tulong sa pagtuturo para sa sining, musika, at pagbabasa, dapat bang pagtibayin ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralan ng Brisbane na nagpapahintulot ng pagpapanibago ng bisa ng kasalukuyang buwis sa parsela ng lokal na paaralan, sa kasalukuyang antas na $131 kada taon, sa anim na taon, magsisimula sa ika-1 ng Hulyo, 2022, pinalilibre ang mga nakatatanda, at itinataas ang limitasyon sa mga paglalaan ng Distrito sa halaga ng mga pondong nalikom ng espesyal na buwis (tinatayang nasa $450,000 taun-taon), ang mga pondo ay gagastahin sa mga paaralan lamang ng Distrito ng Paaralan ng Brisbane at hindi gagamitin para sa ibang mga layunin? Oo ________Hindi _________ DISTRITO NG PAARALAN NG LUNGSOD NG HILLSBOROUGH PANUKALANG BONO PANUKALA ___ (KINAKAILANGAN NG 55% NA PAGAPRUBA) Upang pahusayin ang mga lumang pasilidad at silid-aralan ng paaralan para sa pagtuturo ng agham, teknolohiya, inhinyeriya, mga sining at matematika; kumpunihin/ palitan ang mga humihinang bubong, instalasyon ng mga tubo, mga sistema ng kuryente, pagpapainit/ pagpapalamig at bentilasyon; pahusayin ang mga paaralan upang matugunan ang mga kasalukuyang pamantayan sa lindol/ sunog, at palitan ang lipas na sa panahon na mga naililipat ng mga permanenteng silid-aralan, dapat bang pagtibayin ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralan ng Lungsod ng Hillsborough na mag-isyu ng $140,000,000 na mga bono sa interes na ayon sa batas ang mga antas, lilikom ng $6,600,000 taun-taon na may average na 3¢ kada $100 ng tinasang halaga habang ang mga bono ay hindi pa natutubos, may independiyenteng pagbabantay at mga pagsusuri? Mga Bono Oo ________Mga Bono Hindi _________ DISTRITO NG PAARALANG ELEMENTARYA NG JEFFERSON PANUKALANG BONO PANUKALA___ (KINAKAILANGAN NG 55% NA PAGAPRUBA)

local media. Here are some exciting, energy-packed scenes at the Domination Tour Dubai leg of Gigi De Lana and The Gigi Vibes from ABSCBN Events: From Dubai, the following are the next legs of Domination which are both two-hour full concerts: Abu Dhabi - March 18 at the National Theatre of Abu Dhabi with guest artist, Sam Concepcion; and Bahrain - March 25 at the Crowned Plaza Bahrain, also with guest, Sam Concepcion. This is in partnership with The Filipino Club in Bahrain. Tickets in Abu Dhabi are available at Virgin Megastore at the following prices: Platinum - 200 AED; Gold - 160 AED; Silver - 120 AED; and Bronze - 80 AED. For tickets to the Bahrain show, call Ric Advincula at +97339997288. Prices are at: Platinum - 25 BHD (reserved seating); Gold - 15 BHD (free seating); and Silver - 8 BHD (free seating).

Panukala Para sa Kaligtasan ng Estudyante, Pagkukumpuni/ Pagpapahusay ng Distrito ng Paaralang Elementarya ng Jefferson. Upang pahusayin ang kaligtasan ng estudyante at mga sistema ng seguridad ng kampus at pagbabakod, kumpunihin at itaas ang antas ng mga lumang silid-aralan at pasilidad, dapat bang pagtibayin ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralang Elementarya ng Jefferson na nagpapahintulot ng $45,000,000 na mga bono sa rate ng interes ayon sa batas, nagpapataw ng 1.57 ¢ /$100 ng tinasang halaga, $3,275,000 taun-taon habang ang mga bono ay hindi pa natutubos, nagtatamo, nagtatayo at nagkukumpuni ng mga silid-aralan, pasilidad at kagamitan, bubong, sistema ng instalasyon ng mga tubo at kuryente, may pagbabantay, lahat ng pondo ay pakikinabangan ng mga lokal na paaralan, at hindi kukunin ng Estado? Mga Bono Oo ________Mga Bono Hindi _________ DISTRITO NG PAARALANG ELEMENTARYA NG MILLBRAE PANUKALANG BONO PANUKALA ___ (KINAKAILANGAN NG 55% NA PAGAPRUBA) Upang mapahusay ang kalidad ng mga paaralan sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng mga silid-aralan/ pagsasamoderno ng mga laboratoryo ng agham, teknolohiya, inhinyeriya/matematika; muling pagtatayo ng lumang paaralang elementarya; pagsasapanahon ng mga paaralan upang mapahusay ang kalusugan ng mga estudyante, kaligtasan at access para sa mga estudyanteng may kapansanan; at pagsasapanahon ng mga sistema ng panlaban sa sunog/HVAC/instalasyon ng mga tubo, dapat bang pagtibayin ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralang Elementarya ng Millbrae na nagpapahintulot ng $90,000,000 na mga bono sa mga antas na ayon sa batas, nagpapataw ng 3¢ kada $100 ng tinasang halaga, $6,300,000 tauntaon, habang ang mga bono ay hindi pa natutubos, may

pagbabantay ng mamamayan, mga pagsusuri, walang pondo para sa mga tagapangasiwa, at ang mga pondo ay mananatiling lokal? Mga Bono Oo ________Mga Bono Hindi _________ DISTRITO NG PAARALAN NG LUNGSOD NG RAVENSWOOD PANUKALANG BONO PANUKALA___ (KINAKAILANGAN NG 55% NA PAGAPRUBA) Upang ipagpatuloy ang pagpapahusay ng mga paaralan ng Ravenswood, palitan ang mga lumang naililipat na mga silid-aralan; itaas ang antas ng kaligtasan, teknolohiya at pagiging episyente sa enerhiya; at magkaloob ng lokal na panumbas para sa mga pondo sa mga pasilidad ng Estado; ang panukala ng Distrito ng Paaralan ng Lungsod ng Ravenswood na nagpapahintulot ng $110 na milyon na mga bono, sa mga antas na ayon sa batas na may inaasahang mga pagpataw na $30 kada $100,000 ng tinasang halaga, lilikom ng tinatayang average na $6.3 na milyon taun-taon sa loob ng humigit-kumulang na 32 taon, at nag-aatas ng mga pagsusuri, pagbabantay, lahat ng pondo ay dapat gastahin nang lokal AT walang pera para sa mga suweldo, ay dapat bang pagtibayin? Mga Bono Oo _________Mga Bono Hindi ____________ ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY RIN na ang mga pangunahing pangangatwirang panig o laban sa mga panukalang nasa itaas ay maaaring isumite nang nakasulat sa Registration & Elections Division, 40 Tower Road, San Mateo, CA 94402, para sa paglilimbag at pamamahagi sa mga botante, alinsunod sa mga tadhana ng Kodigo ng mga Halalan ng California, bago lumampas ang 5:00 P.M. sa ika18 ng Marso, 2022. Ang mga sagot na pangangatwiran ng mga awtor ng nasabing mga pangunahing pangangatwiran ay maaaring iharap sa katulad na paraan bago lumampas ang 5:00 P.M. sa ika-28 ng Marso, 2022. Ang mga nakalimbag na pangangatwiran na isinumite sa mga botante ay dapat bigyan ng titulo na alinman sa “Pangangatwirang Panig sa Panukala ___” o “Pangangatwirang Laban sa Panukala ___”, at “Sagot sa Pangangatwirang Panig sa Panukala ____” o “Sagot sa Pangangatwirang Laban sa Panukala ___” ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod. Lahat ng pangangatwiran na nauukol sa mga panukalang nasa itaas ay dapat samahan ng sumusunod na form ng pahayag na dapat pirmahan ng bawat awtor at tagapanukala, kung iba, sa pangangatwiran: Ang nakapirmang (mga) tagapanukala o (mga) awtor ng __________ (pangunahin/sagot) na pangangatwirang ____________ (panig sa/o laban sa) Panukala sa Balota ___ sa ____________________ (titulo ng halalan) para sa ____________ (pangalan ng hurisdiksiyon) na gaganapin sa ______________ (petsa ng halalan), ay nagpapahayag dito na ang naturang pangangatwiran ay totoo at tama sa abot ng ______________ (kanya/kanilang) nalalaman at paniniwala. Pinirmahan Petsa Walang pangunahing pangangatwiran na dapat humigit sa 300 na salita. Isa lamang pangangatwirang panig at isang pangangatwirang laban sa bawat panukala ang pipiliin para sa paglilimbag at pamamahagi sa mga botante. Hindi hihigit sa limang pirma ang dapat lumitaw sa alinmang pangangatwiran. Ang mga awtor ng mga pangunahing pangangatwirang panig o laban sa bawat panukala ay maaaring maghanda at magsumite ng mga sagot na pangangatwiran na hindi hihigit sa 250 na salita. Ang mga awtor ay maaaring magbigay ng nakasulat na pahintulot sa sinumang ibang tao upang ihanda, isumite, o pirmahan ang sagot na pangangatwiran. Hindi hihigit sa limang pirma ang dapat lumitaw sa alinmang sagot na pangangatwiran. ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY RIN na dapat magtakda ng 10 araw sa kalendaryo para sa panahon ng eksaminasyon para sa pagsusuri ng publiko ng nasabing mga pangangatwiran. Sa panahong ito, ang sinumang nakarehistrong botante, na karapat-dapat bumoto sa mga panukala, o ang opisyal ng mga halalan, ay maaaring humingi ng isang writ ng mandato o isang injunction na nagaatas ng anuman o lahat ng mga materyal na babaguhin o tatanggalin. Ang panahon ng pagsusuri para sa mga pangunahing pangangatwirang panig o laban sa mga panukala sa balota ay dapat magsimula sa 5:00 P.M. sa ika-18 ng Marso, 2022 at dapat matapos sa 5:00 P.M. sa ika-28 ng Marso. Ang panahon ng pagsusuri para sa mga sagot sa mga pangunahing pangangatwirang panig o laban sa mga panukala sa balota ay dapat magsimula sa 5:00 P.M. sa ika-28 ng Marso, 2022 at dapat matapos sa 5:00 P.M. sa ika-7 ng Abril, 2022. ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY RIN na ang binotohang mga Balota ng Pagboto sa Pamamagitan ng Koreo, mga Balota sa Sentro ng Pagboto, at ang mga Pansamantalang Balota para sa Halalang gaganapin sa Martes, ika-7 ng Hunyo, 2022, ay dapat bilangin sa lokasyong ibinigay sa ibaba: County of San Mateo Registration & Elections Division 40 Tower Road San Mateo, CA 94402 ANG PAUNAWA AY IBINIBIGAY RIN na sa naturang halalan ang mga botohan ay mananatiling bukas mula sa oras ng 7:00 A.M., hanggang sa oras ng 8:00 P.M., sa araw na iyon. Pinetsahan: Marso 18, 2022 /l/ Mark Church Punong Opisyal ng Halalan at Tagatasa-Klerk-Tagatala ng County

CNSB #3565851

 ENTERTAINMENT

March 17-23, 2022

Graton Resort & Casino is First US Property to Unveil New Kascada® Dual Screen Gaming Experience ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (March 10, 2022) – Graton Resort & Casino will unveil Light & Wonder™’s new Kascada Dual Screen slot cabinet on March 15, 2022 at 7:30 p.m. The advanced-tech games are first to market for Graton Resort & Casino. “The Kascada Dual Screen is an innovative new way to play at Graton Resort & Casino,” said Greg Sarris, tribal chairman for Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. “We continually strive to bring sophisticated gaming to our guests and are pleased to be the first property in the country to feature these slot machines.” “We are excited to partner with Graton Resort & Casino on the first to market launch of Kascada Dual Screen,” stated Matt Wilson, Group Gaming CEO at Light & Wonder. “At Light & Wonder we are fully focused on developing great game content and hardware. Kascada Dual Screen builds on the proven performer, Kascada Portrait and we couldn’t be more proud to build momentum by launching it with one of our most celebrated brands, Double Money Link®.” Kascada Dual Screen will offer Graton guests the opportunity to experience two high definition 27” displays, lightning-fast game play, ambient lighting and crisp, custom multi-channel sound. Graton Resort & Casino is the luxury destination in Sonoma County for gaming, hospitality and entertainment. The casino features over 3,000 slot and video poker machines, more than 115 table games and live poker. Dining options include Tony’s of North Beach for Italian fare and the sophisticated 630 Park Steakhouse. The hotel at Graton Resort & Casino is a AAA 4-diamond property, including an expansive pool area, 24/7 concierge

and spa/salon. For more information on Graton Resort & Casino or to book your stay, visit www.gratonresortcasino.com. MEDIA, PLEASE NOTE: To request further information, interviews or additional images, please contact Brianne Miller at Graton@landispr.com or (650) 575-7727. For information regarding Light & Wonder, please contact media@lnw.com. About Light & Wonder, Inc. Scientiﬁc Games Corporation, doing business as Light & Wonder Inc., is the global leader in cross-platform games and entertainment. The Company brings together 5,000 employees from six continents to connect content between landbased and digital channels with unmatched technology and distribution. Guided by a culture that values daring teamwork and creativity, the Company builds new worlds of play, developing game experiences loved by players around the globe. Its OpenGaming™ platform powers the largest digital-gaming network in the industry. The Company is committed to the highest standards of integrity, from promoting player responsibility to implementing sustainable practices. To learn more, visit lnw.com. About Graton Resort & Casino Located in Sonoma County, Graton Resort & Casino has a commanding presence among the rolling hills of Northern California’s wine country. Owned and oper-

ated by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Graton Resort & Casino features table games, the latest slot machines, upscale and casual dining, plus entertainment options for visitors and locals alike. For more information, please visit www.gratonresortcasino.com. All ® notices signify marks registered in the United States by SG Gaming, Inc., and/or its parent or affiliates. SG Gaming, Inc. is a licensed gaming manufacturer and a subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation, d/b/a Light & Wonder. © 2022 Scientific Games Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Revelation: The Concert packed the Alex Theater, satisfying audiences’ craving for live events Next stop for sing-along songs and danceable tunes at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, California on March 26

GLENDALE, Calif, March 15, 2022 --- ABS-CBN International and TFC Events’ return to live shows proved to be auspicious as the Los Angeles leg of Revelation: The Concert Tour in the U.S. was well-attended. Stellar artists Dingdong Avanzado, his wife Jessa Zaragoza, and their daughter Jayda had the Alex Theater chockfull of fans from various parts of California, some coming as far as Arizona. It was clear that the audience has been looking forward to in-person events after staying home these past two years since the pandemic began. Annabel De Leon of Rancho Cucamonga happily declared, “Finally we had the chance to get together and connect.” Avanzado assured the crowd that their only job that night was to have fun, and

fun was had as the concert goers were treated to an array of songs that took them down memory lane. Fans of Dingdong Avanzado and Jessa Zaragoza got up on their feet and danced to the songs that brought them down memory lane. (Photo courtesy of Eugene Libadia.) The original Prince of Filipino Pop, Avanzado, and his wife, Zaragoza, touted as the Phenomenal Diva of the Philippines, had the audience singing along to their hearts’ content and dancing to the songs that were nostalgic, fun, and familiar. Their daughter, Jayda, was a revelation herself proving she was an artist of substance as she sang songs from her ofﬁcial debut album. She also accompanied herself, playing the keyboard, and then the guitar, showing proﬁciency in her craft. Developing and perfecting her artistry has always been Jayda’s mantra. She explains that for her, the highest form of compliment is when people recognize her artistry, “which is something I really work hard at, and I am really proud of.” A person on a stage Description au-

tomatically generated with medium conﬁdence Jayda plays the keyboard and sings her self-penned “Happy for You” to the delight of the audience at Alex Theater. Fely Pasamba of Los Angeles enthused that she loved the concert “because I love to dance, and we love Jessa and Dingdong and their daughter.” Pearl Sarabia of Fontana announced that they had so much fun. “We’ve seen Dingdong before but this one is diﬀerent because it’s the whole family. It’s a great show!” And Ed Rame, also from Los Angeles, shared that “you can feel the inspiration that wrapped the entire theater that truly brought so much joy.” He added that, “It’s a well-conceptualized concert, executed well and performed excellently.” It was a night of fun and many amazing revelations. Annabel of Rancho Cucamonga also emphasized how the show was refreshing. “It’s a good reminder that God is always faithful, and they brought that message loud and clear tonight,” she adds. Audiences have one more chance to experience the fun and learn of the many other discoveries to be brought to light when Revelation goes to Northern California on March 26 at the Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway, Redwood City, CA

94063. Tickets start at $25. Part of the proceeds for the Fox Theater show will go to the ABS-CBN Foundation International for the continuing rehabilitation eﬀorts for the victims of Super Typhoon Odette. The March 26 show is brought to you by Ding.com and Sendwave, together with Media Partners – Philippine News Today, Inquirer.net, FilAm Star, and Asian Journal. Go to myTFC.com/revelation for tickets and for more information.

Jayda plays the keyboard and sings her self-penned “Happy for You” to the delight of the audience at Alex Theater.

19 March 17-23, 2022

 ENTERTAINMENT

Aliw sets ‘Musical Journey’ in Sacramento on April 30

Joey Albert

Gerphil Flores

Jam Morales

KelFRVR

Aliw Productions Inc. in cooperation with One World Institute will present “Musical Journey”, a concert featuring Gerphil Flores, 2015 Aliw Entertainer of the Year and Asia’s Got Talent 2nd runnerup, and Aliw’s 2019 Best Filipino Artist Abroad Joey Albert with World-class International Performer Jam Morales and multi-talented FilAm KelFRVR at the Guild theater in Sacramento, California on April 30,2022. The concert, the foundation’s ﬁrst

since its Aliw International in the United States 40 years ago, is in support of the American Cancer Society and artists affected by the pandemic. It will bring music-lovers on a trip through time, from the ‘80s and ‘90s to the present , as the concert performers sing their way to their hearts. Gerphil Flores is a Filipino-German classical singer who gained international fame at Asia’s Got Talent in 2015 and has received awards for her classical

and pop music. Joey Albert is an international performer and recording artist , Jam Morales is also an international performer and Kelfrver is a rising singer/ composer/producer, who is expected to draw the young crowd to the concert. Media partner of the event is ABSCBN through its Filipino Channel. The concert’s sponsors are Wah Sing Mongolian Hot Pot & BBQ, Kuic, County Square Market, KW Realty’s Elizabeth Gonzalez, Kusina at Lumpia,Teriyaki

Station Atbp, Beyond Tea, AARP and Mecca & Son Trucking Co. Please visit www.Aliw.Info for ticket Information or call 707.631.0120. Other payments accepted through Zelle at aliwproductions@gmail.com, Venmo at aliwproductions and Paypal at aliwproductions@gmail.com Ticket-buyers are encouraged to get their tickets early, as there is a limited number of tickets available.

Timeless... (From page 16)

fabulous fashion show in a show. The participation of Mr. Tolentino will provide ultimate success as this will showcase on stage his outstanding work. Complimenting the show are two of the best of the Filipino talents, Lighting Director Michael Manlapaz and Sound Engineer Monching Payumo who are both most respected in the concert scene. It is an impressive ensemble of great talents after carefully contemplating on making a fresh show created in the US and not the usual canned shows brought here from the Philippines. It is the answer to the growing demand for a concert of this trailblazing genre. The Fil AM audience is indeed a very discriminating audience and the producers of the show decided to go all out to see what is the best that can be oﬀered to the paying public. As a presenter of the show, Sendwave, a fee-free money transfer app for sending money to the Philippines will present their service in the Live Stream. This media conference will be viewed by all Fil AMs in Seattle, San Diego, San Francisco, New Jersey and New York and most importantly from the Philippines. The show is touted to be ﬁrst of its kind, unique where we can see, hear and experience songs never heard or performed from previous concerts. Here are the schedule of the shows and their venues; March 20 Sunday SABAN Theater Beverly Hills California March 26 Saturday Snoqualmie Casino Seattle WA April1 Friday San Mateo Performing Arts Center San Mateo CA April 2 Saturday Pala Casino, Pala CA April 9 Saturday Bally’s Casino Atlantic City NJ On April 3, Jed Madela will perform Live in Las Vegas at Alexis Park Resort, 375 E Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89169 Photo Courtesy by Vince Gotti

 REAL ESTATE

March 17-23, 2022

Cebu property market bullish Property consultant Colliers sees a rebound in the Visayas’ property market as economic conditions improve over time. Colliers said opportunity in the area will capitalize on talent, infrastructure like the completion of Metro Cebu Expressway and Cebu Cordova Link Expressway and the current competitive rents vis-a-vis its Metro Manila counterparts. In the Cebu market alone, Colliers said in a Malaya report that key business districts will beneﬁt from the various infrastructure projects being built in the province. Cebu’s oﬃce market is expected to receive 65,000 square meters (sq.m.) of new supply this year, complementing the end-2021 supply of 1.3 million sq.m. Colliers pegged vacancy rate in Cebu at 24.7 percent for the year, similar to last year’s as the area enjoyed a 35,000 sq.m. net take for 2021. Colliers said vacancy will start to stabilize this year after a series of upticks over the past quarters due to the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Colliers expects Cebu’s residential market to post a healthy demand from investors and endusers. Driven by an expected uptick in demand, de-

velopers are expected to be active in landbanking to line up projects beyond 2022. Colliers said the uptick in demand for condominium units will partly be driven by a recovery in oﬃce leasing especially within integrated communities and the opening up of borders for condominium projects positioned in the leisure market. The takeup for horizontal projects will pick up as the economy improves and overseas Filipino continue to remit money to the country. Colliers recommends that developers be proactive in assessing the gaps in the market for horizontal developments in terms of product and price, and in tapping the demand for mixed- use communities. Developers should remain strategic with their landbanking initiatives. Colliers pegs condominium units to hit 10,270 by end of the year, up from 6,627 units last year. Price escalation is expected to be at 2.5 percent this year, up from 1.4 percent last year, with a condominium unit expected to be priced an average of P4.2 million. Colliers sees the completion of 6,500 units per year from 2022 to 2024. Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City should account for 99 percent of new supply during the period.

THE NUMBER ONE CHOICE FOR FILIPINO FAMILIES The ONLY Place for All Your Arrangements in One Convenient Location New Funeral home with Reception Center Flower Shop Beautiful Garden Memorial Park Cremation Services We transfer your loved ones to and from the Philippines

TTT BBBBBBBBB NNN FFFFFFF HHHH

RRRRRRRRR CCCCCC

CCCCCCC LLLL

Loan Modification soon to be a popular option for homeowners What is loan modification? Loan modification is when a lender agrees to alter the terms of a homeowner’s existing loan to help them avoid default and keep their house during times of financial hardship. Goal is to reduce borrowers payment so they can afford to stay and not let the property go into foreclosure. Loan modification vs refinance A refinance is typically the first plan of action for homeowners who need a lower mortgage payment. However, borrowers going through financial hardship might not be able to use a refinance program. They may have trouble qualifying for the new loan due to a reduced income, lower credit score, high-interest credit card debt, or other unexpected debt obligations (such as medical expenses). In these cases, the homeowner might be eligible for a mortgage loan modification. Loan modification vs forbearance Forbearance is another way servicers can help borrowers during times of financial stress. Loan forbearance is a temporary plan that pauses mortgage payments while a homeowner gets back on their feet. For example, many homeowners who lost their jobs or had reduced income were able to request forbearance for up to a year or more during the COVID pandemic. “At this time, it may be much less of an option due to the amount of forbearance provided early on, during COVID, and many are now becoming due,” says Jon Meyer, The Mortgage Reports loan expert and licensed MLO. Unlike forbearance, mortgage loan modification is a permanent plan that changes the rate or terms of your loan. Forbearance and loan modification can sometimes be combined to make a more effective mortgage relief plan. Conventional loan modification Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and private lenders of conventional loans have their own modification programs and guidelines. In particular, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae offer Flex Modification programs designed to decrease a qualified borrower’s mortgage payment by about 20%. Flex Modification typically involves adjusting the interest rate, forbearing a portion of the principal balance, or extending the loan’s term to make monthly payments more affordable for the homeowner. To be eligible for a Flex Modification program, the homeowner must have: At least three monthly payments past due on a primary residence, second home, or investment property Or less than three monthly payments past due but the loan is in “imminent default,” meaning the lender has determined the home loan will definitely default without modification. This is only an option for primary residences Certain hardships can trigger imminent default status; for instance, the death of a primary wage earner in the household, or serious illness or disability of the borrower. Unemployment is typically not an eligible reason for Flex Modification. Borrowers who are unemployed are more likely to be placed in a temporary forbearance plan — which pauses payments for a set period of time, but does not permanently change the loan’s term or interest rate. In addition, government-backed FHA loans, VA loans, and USDA loans are not eligible for Flex Modification programs. FHA loan modification The Federal Housing Administration offers its own loan modification options to make payments more manageable for delinquent borrowers. Depending on your situation, FHA loan modification options may include: • Lowering the interest rate • Extending the loan term • Rolling unpaid principal, interest, or loan costs back into the existing loan’s balance • Re-amortizing the mortgage to help the borrower make up missed payments In some cases where extra (Continue on page 27)

21 March 17-23, 2022

NEWS  NATIONAL SPORTS NEWS

7 Pinoy athletes qualify for 2022 World Games in Alabama

LOS ANGELES/MANILA – Seven Filipino athletes have qualified for the 2022 World Games in July in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. Reports from the US and Manila stated that the World Games is an international multi-sport event held every four years, where sports not contested in the Olympics are played. It is usually staged a year after the Olympic Games. Leading the Filipino athletes will be 2021 US Open Pool titlist Carlo Biado – the first Filipino to win a gold in the competition in 2017. He is expected to secure his second straight World Games stint after bagging the coveted plum last year. Biado ruled the men’s singles nine-ball event in the 2017 World Games after beating British cue artist Jayson Shaw in the finals. Also joining the games is two-time women’s world

10-ball champion Rublien Amit, who is considered the world’s current ranking as world no. 4. The Muay Thai Association of the Philippines announced the qualiﬁcation of Phillip Delarmino and Leeana Bade in the 2022 World Games, according to a CNN Philippines report. Delarmino advanced to the international competition after topping the -57kg male category of the 2021 IFMA World Championships held last December in Phuket, Thailand. Bade will compete in the 2022 World Games as a wildcard entry in the -63.5 kg female division. Like Bade, Jiu-Jitsu specialist Annie Ramirez also made it to this year’s World Games as a wildcard qualiﬁer in the women’s -57kg division, the CNN report added. Joyce Reboton is the lone Filipino powerlifter so far to qualify for this year’s World Games after winning

four golds in the 2021 Asian Classic-Equipped Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships held at Istanbul, Turkey. Karateka Junna Tsukii is the latest addition to the Philippine team in the 2022 World Games after earning a quota slot, the Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation announced as reported by CNN. Tsukii – the world no. 4 in the women’s kumite -50kg category – is the only Southeast Asian to qualify in the quadrennial sports meet. “I was not able to participate in the last Olympics, but here I have a chance to give all my efforts and sacrifices,” said Tsukii, who lost in her Olympic bid last year in the qualifiers held in Paris, France. Since joining the World Games in 1981, the Philippines won a gold, five silvers, and five bronzes.

PSA Athlete of the Year Hidilyn Diaz encourages others to keep dreaming; confident of another SEAG gold MANILA - Three-time Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year awardee Hidilyn Diaz rallied other athletes to keep dreaming to achieve success. Diaz made the call during the Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards Night where she and other top athletes were honored. Diaz, the country’s ﬁrst Olympic gold medalist, said that nothing is impossible, just like another gold medal in the future. “Ibig sabihin lang nito, walang imposible at kaya nating manalo ng gold ulit sa Olympics,” Diaz added. Diaz received her third Athlete of the Year award from the media organization and said that nothing is impossible, just like another gold medal in the future. “Ibig sabihin lang nito, walang imposible at kaya nating manalo ng gold ulit sa Olympics,” Diaz added. Other Filipino athletes who represented the country in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games were cited during the San Miguel Corporation-Philippine Sportswriters Association (SMC-PSA) Annual Awards Night at the Diamond Hotel. Aside from Diaz, others honored were Olympians skateboarder Margielyn Didal, boxer Irish Magno, golfers Bianca Pagdanganan and Juvic Pagunsan, weightlifter Elreen Ando, trackster Kristina Knott, swimmers Remedy Rule and Luke Gebbie, judoka Kiyomi Watanabe, rower Cris Nievarez, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, and shooter Jayson Valdez. The Paralympians swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino, wheelchair racer Jerrold Mangliwan, taekwondo jin Allain Ganapin, trackster Jeanette Aceveda, and powerlifter Achelle Guion were also honored. A future Olympian in weightlifter Vanessa Sarno

was also honored for winning two gold medals and a silver in the women’s 71 kg division of the Asian Women’s Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Also joinining Diaz, who was conferred the PSA Athlete of the Year award, and conferred with other recognition were the President’s Award (Yuka Saso and Carlos Yulo) and Major Awards (Nesthy Petecio, Carlo Paalam, Eumir Felix Marcial, and EJ Obiena). Also part of the Major Awards list is US Open men’s billiards champion Carlo Biado. A compact list of 39 athletes, officials, and entities make up the 2021 batch of awardees to be feted by the Philippine sportswriting fraternity during the gala night backed by MILO (official choco milk), 1Pacman, Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), Philracom, Rain or Shine, ICTSI, Chooks To Go, MVP Sports Foundation, and Smart. In her speech on Monday’s PSA Awards Night, the first Filipino Olympic gold medalist shared that back then, she just wanted to be in the said ceremony, looking up to the likes of athletics champion Maristella Torres. “Kung nagawa ko, kaya ng iba pang Filipino athletes (If I did it, other Filipino athletes can.),” she added Diaz said she dared to dream before and the reward was fulfilled in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “Sinimulan ko mangarap hanggang sa ginawan ko ng paraan para matupad ang ambisyon ko: makakuha ng gold medal sa Olympics, (I started dreaming until I worked my way to reach that ambition of getting the Olympic gold.), she said. “Sabi nila dati, ang taas ko mangarap. Bakit hindi? Isa kaya sa pinakamagandang bagay at libreng gawin ang mangarap. Kaya’t ikaw, tayong lahat, patuloy lang

mangarap (Others told me before that my dream was too high. Why not? Dreaming is one of the most beautiful things and we can do it for free. All of us should keep on dreaming.), she added. Diaz said challenges are also part of reaching a dream and what is important are the lessons that come with it. “’Di puwedeng walang pagsubok kasi ‘yun ang magpapatibay sa atin. Okay lang ilang beses magkamali, ilang beses na matalo. Ang mahalaga, natututo tayo bumangon. Kaya natin ‘to. (Challenges are part of it because it strengthens us. It’s okay to make mistakes, to be defeated sometimes. What is important is that we learn to get up. We can do this.),” she said. “Naniniwala ako na mas marami pang Pilipino ang mananalo sa Olympics at makakakuha ng ginto,” she added. Diaz said she is preparing for four major competitions this year: the Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in May, the Asian Games in September, the Weightlifting World Championships in October, and the Asian Weightlifting Championships in December in Manila. Diaz said she will move up to the 59-kg event for the World Championships since it will also serve as qualiﬁers for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Olympics has no event for the 55-kg weight class where Diaz won the gold. Asked about her chances for each event, Diaz said, “Sure ako na mag-gold ako sa SEA Games.” (I’m sure of the SEA Games gold.) “Sa Asian Games, gagawin ko ang best ko. Sa World Championships, gusto ko lang i-[manage] lahat ng expectations ng media na medyo mahirap ‘to kasi aakyat ako ng bodyweight ng 59.”

March 17-23, 2022

Q: Can my bad habits affect my debt settlement program? A: Everything affects everything. Thus, the Law of Cause and Effect. One action causes one effect and another and so on. So would it be safe to say that one negative action and cause a negative effect? So if we let a bad habit take over our debt settlement program, this will also produce negative effect or effects. Just to give an example of how this can happen. Let’s just say a client was enrolled in a 36 month program, and sometime after one year of diligently behaving, the client decides to go back to bad habit of taking out new loans from storefronts. What will be the cause of this? Negative results of course. Now he has to pay new loans plus pay into the program at the same time. The big negative result is if the client goes over his monthly budget and can’t cover all of the bills for the month. The negative effect of this is that the client will have to choose which payment to skip at a given month. So now, the client has missed one payment for one account in one month. This is now going to start a snowball effect, because once a payment is missed, the client will be riddled with calls. The client will want this to stop by giving up a big payment in order to get caught up with the one missed the prior month. But the true negative effect is the client is now robbing Peter to pay Paul. Does everyone see where this is going? Like I said earlier, one negative act will result in a series of negative results, thus proving the Law of Cause and Effect to be real. Ating lesson, Kung nasa programa ka na kaibigan, Huwag nang gumawa ng problema na naman! If you need help in getting out of debt, call Debt Aid Consulting International. We do not use call centers which keeps your information safe. We have a new program that reconstruct debts for half of what you would pay our competitors. We also provide legal assistance that keeps collectors away. We take Federal Credit Unions, Payday loans and high interest personal loans in our program too. This is exclusively available for Debt Aid Consulting clients. None of our competitors provide this program. You are well protected. We only provide Federal Trade Commission compliant programs. Go with Debt Aid Consulting! Do not fall for marketing gimmicks saying that they have the right program for you. Most marketing companies only have one program and will enroll you in that program whether it fits you or not. So beware! Ben Lou at your service! I have over 35 years of financial experience. If you would like sound financial advice, call us at Debt Aid Consulting International. We do not use call centers. No one has the right to put your information at risk. Debt Aid Consulting is the first and only Filipino debt mediation company incorporated in the US and Canada, Caribbean Islands, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines! Your Global Debt Solutions Company! Tawag na po sa 1-888-341-5234 at tutulungan po namin kayo. Itama po natin ang mali!

23 March 17-23, 2022

PHL, US sign pact to boost cooperation on nuclear energy sure a resilient, inclusive, and green economic growth for the Philippines, we need to intensify our work in securing reliable and sustainable energy sources, including nuclear energy. Through our cooperation, we hope to ensure the peaceful use of nuclear energy and fulﬁll our decarbonization goals.” For his part, Energy Undersecretary Erguiza said the Department of Energy will intensify its collaboration with the United States to improve the knowledge and understanding by furthering the capacities on nuclear infrastructure, through various technical assistance. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins welcomed President Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez (right Rodrigo Duterte’s recent signing of Executive Order most) and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and Interna�onal Security Bonnie Jenkins (le� most) deliver Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez (right) their remarks at the signing ceremony of the Memoranwith Undersecretary Erguiza (center) and Under Secredum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooptary Jenkins (le�) exchanged signed copies of the agreeera�on (NCMOU) held at the Department of State. ment. WASHINGTON D.C. – The Philippines and the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation (NCMOU) which will further deepen the cooperation between the two countries in developing the Philippines’ nuclear energy program. The NCMOU was signed by Energy Undersecretary Gerardo D. Erguiza, Jr. and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Bonnie Jenkins at the Department of State. In his remarks, Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez, who witnessed the signing, said: “To en-

Energy Undersecretary Gerardo D. Erguiza, Jr. (center), accompanied by Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez (right), and Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and Interna�onal Security Bonnie Jenkins (le�) sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Coopera�on (NCMOU) for the Philippines and the United States, respec�vely.

164 “Adopting A National Position For A Nuclear Energy Program, and For Other Purposes”, noting the inclusion of nuclear power in the Philippines’ energy mix and the country’s exploration on the viability of reopening the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. “This is great news for those of us working together to deepen collaboration between the US companies and Philippine partners in making sure that nuclear energy contributes to Philippine growth. We are delighted to partner with the Philippines to advance our shared nonproliferation energy and related climate vision,” she added.

 COMMUNITY NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

3 Pinays injured in ‘hate’ assaults in a week in New York

CONSUL GENERAL ELMER CATO NEW YORK – The Philippine Consulate General in New York cautioned the Filipino community anew after haterelated incidents in a week left three Filipino women injured. The latest victim is a 67-year-old Filipino woman who was seriously injured after she was brutally assaulted with 125 punches in what was described as another anti-Asian hate incident in Yonkers, New York. Consul General Elmer Cato denounced the attacks as he also called on New York authorities and law enforcers “to do more to protect the vulnerable.” According to the Philippine Consulate, the 67-year-old Pinay was entering her apartment building in Yonkers, New York, when a man punched and stomped her more than 125 times from behind. The woman, who sustained fractures and lacerations to the head and face as well as bleeding in the brain, is recovering in a hospital. “We are outraged by this unspeakable act committed against another elderly member of the Filipino Community,” Consul General Cato said on social media. “This is the third incident in less than a week where elderly kababayan have be-

come victims of random violence.” “We call on authorities to do more to protect the vulnerable. We remind our kababayans to be extra vigilant and to take the necessary precautions, especially in public,” Consul General Cato added. Authorities identified the suspect in the Yonkers incident as Tammel Esco, a 42-year-old resident of Yonkers, who was charged him with counts of attempted murder and assault as a “hate crime.” Esco was put under custody of the Westchester County Jail, and was scheduled for prosecution on March 25. Latest reports showed the Yonkers woman could be discharged from the hospital anytime. The noted that similar assaults against other members of the Asian-American Community were recorded in New York since the start of the year. “The recent spate of attacks against Filipinos and other Asian-Americans, whether triggered by racial bias or mental illness, is a serious concern that must be immediately addressed,” Consul General Cato said. Last Thursday, the Filipina who is in her late 50s, walks with a cane, and suffers from poor eyesight, was shoved down the stairs by an unidentified man at the 179th Street Station of the subway’s F Train in the neighborhood of Jamaica in Queens. On the same day, another Filipina in her mid-60s was pushed by an unidentified man at the Long Island Rail Road train platform, also in Jamaica, causing her to land on her face and break her eyeglasses in the process. Last year, there were 23 incidents involving Filipinos that were reported to the consulate. One of the incidents involved 58-yearold New Jersey nurse Maria Ambrocio, who was walking with a friend in Times Square in Manhattan when an alleged mentally ill homeless man slammed into her and sent her to the ground. She was declared brain-dead the following day and was eventually taken off life support. The 29-year-old suspect was reportedly fleeing after stealing a mobile phone. He was arrested. Prior to the Jamaica incidents, several Asian-Americans were also at the receiving end of violence in the subways, with the latest involving an Asian man who sustained injuries after another man repeatedly struck him in the head with a hammer. In another incident, seven Asian women were assaulted within minutes of each other by a man in separate incidents in Manhattan. The latest incidents came less than a month after Mayor Eric Leroy Adams unveiled his Subway Safety Plan to address the surge of violence and homelessness in platforms and stations. It has led to the arrest of 143 individuals, removal of 455 others from trains and stations, and the issuance of 1,553 tickets for various violations.

West coast.. (From page 11) she adds. The MMCAA 2022-2023 board convened in January with Thomeczek heading the 15-member team working closely with college president Laura Quiambao-del Rosario, former Ambassador to India and DFA Undersecretary. The College 1968 grad earned a major in English magna cum laude before serving 37 years in the diplomatic corps. Besides their careers, “Lullah,” as she is known to intimates, shares a Triple A (Amazing Alumni Achiever) with Thomeczek. Organizing international chapters had always been on the drawing boards, Thomeczek had learned when she first joined the MMCAA board two years ago. “The marching order from newly-installed President Lullah del Rosario and the MC Board was again set up international chapters. As VP Membership, pursuit of the goal became my challenge. Thanks to technology West Coast “Knollers” comprise graduates from elemenand Knoller friends abroad tary, high school and college batches. we were able to initiate conthat it will open a new campus in Porac, Pamnections. We wanted to introduce the chapters during the virtual grand panga this year. We already have another one alumni homecoming last September, which in Nuvali, Laguna,” Thomeczek viewed the expansion of the institution founded in 1926 we were able to do.” She called the fulfillment of the mission by the Maryknoll Sisters of New York as Mal“timely also because MC is now preparing to abon Normal School. In 1953 the liberal arts school moved to its celebrate 100 years in 2026. So ...gathering flagship on Katipunan Road in Loyola Heights all the flock...” is a priority on the agenda. “The underlying purpose of it all is how in Quezon City. With the new address came President Lullah expressed it: We live out that a name change to Maryknoll College. By ChiRho symbol: bringing Christ to the world, 1977, the progressive school completed tranas was the original mission of the Maryknoll sition from the Maryknoll congregation to the Sisters; we live out and promote the core val- Filipino laity initiated in the 1960s. In 1989 Maryknoll became Miriam Colues” Thomeczek stressed. For 2022, the Knollers look forward to lege. Everyone who has sung the school naming the new Triple A laureates and pre- hymn calls themselves “Knollers,” however, paring for the Virtual Grand Alumni Home- and abides the refrain: “Wherever we are, coming in September with the newly minted wherever we’ll be, faithful we’ll always be to international chapters. They hope establish a thee.” – Adapted from original reprinted with chapter in Asia, Australia and New Zealand permission - https://usa.inquirer.net/96119/ west-coast-grads-form-first-global-marykbefore the centennial. “In the meantime, Miriam is proud to say noll-miriam-alumnae-chapter

AAPI Victory Alliance Issues Statement on One-Year Anniversary of Atlanta spa shootings, Urges Gun Violence Prevention and Raising Awareness Washington – Today, in remembrance of the one-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings which killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women, AAPI Victory Alliance released a statement to commemorate this tragedy and call for robust gun violence prevention policies. AAPI Victory Alliance Executive Director Varun Nikore issued the following statement: “This time last year, a gunman killed eight people, including six Asian women, at three spas in the Metro Atlanta area. As we commemorate the ﬁrst anniversary of this tragedy, and continue to navigate our collective grief, we urge our legislators to expeditiously enact gun violence prevention legislation.” “Together, with a broad coalition of survivors, community members and allies, AAPI Victory Alliance is committed to ending gun violence and gender-based violence. We are

dedicated to building a world where everyone feels safe in their communities, whether it’s at home, school, work or place of worship.” “As we remember the lives lost in the Atlanta spa shootings, we must also acknowledge that the alarming rise of violence against the AAPI community is fueled by continued use of xenophobic and racist rhetoric tied to white supremacy and hate. That is why we are fighting for more policies to address the systemic causes of violence and hate.” AAPI Victory Alliance works to build Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) political power across the country by providing education on progressive issues; creating and advocating for policies that affect our communities; and building alliances with organizations to help AAPIs exert their power and be the margin of victory at the local, state, and national levels.

25 March 17-23, 2022

 COMMUNITY NEWS

AAAJ continues in-language bystander intervention training for the Asian American community nationwide LOS ANNGELES/CHICAGO/ WASHINGTON] – The Asian Americans Advancing Justice affiliates in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. continue to offer virtual Bystander Intervention Training – Stop Anti-Asian and Asian American and Xenophobic Harassment in 2022 and are now proud to offer trainings in Asian languages for limited English proficient members of the community. Washington, D.C.-based Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA) offer accessible in-language trainings in Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Additionally, Advancing Justice – AAJC offers trainings in Hindi and Thai, provides simultaneous interpretations along with English facilitations, and uses bilingual slides. Advancing Justice – LA trains directly in Asian languages, accompanied by translated slides as part of the interactive experience. Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago (Advancing Justice – Chicago) provides bilingual trainings in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Hindi,

with verbal presentations in both English and the Asian language and slides in Asian languages only. Since the Advancing Justice afﬁliates in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. and Right To Be started training in the last two years, they have trained over 150,000 people. Of all people who reported witnessing harassment after completing the training, 75% reported intervening, a best practice in reducing trauma and de-escalating violence. “The Asian American community has borne heightened discrimination as some have sought to place blame for the pandemic on us,” said Marita Etcubañez, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Advancing Justice – AAJC. “We have heard from many in our community about the fear and anxiety they are feeling as Asian Americans have experienced increased hate crimes and hate incidents in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. Through our trainings, we share practical, actionable strategies that we hope our participants will be able to use to safely intervene in and stop harassment, and also mitigate the harm for the person who faced harassment.”

“It is a privilege and a testimony to our collective commitment to the Asian American community that we are able to expand and offer these culturally competent, useful trainings with more Advancing Justice affiliates,” said Dax Valdes, Senior Trainer with Right To Be. “We always look for ways to make our sessions more accessible, so we can reach more community members who may be wondering what to do when they see someone else getting harassed, on public transportation or at the grocery store, for example. Offering these trainings in Asian languages is a crucial step in meeting communities where they are.” In Right To Be’s evaluation and research, they found that 98.8% of those trained reported that as a result of the training, they were able to recognize and intervene when harassment occurred. According to Christina Yang, General Counsel and Pro Bono Director at Advancing Justice – LA, “It is essential for us to train directly in Asian languages and make bystander intervention trainings more accessible to broader audiences, especially those who are still under attack and scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“As an organization that strives towards racial equity through community organizing, it is imperative that we respond to the requests from different communities and partners across the Midwest. We are excited to be a part of a strong affiliation and movement to make this training more inclusive for so many.” said Catherine Shieh, AntiHate Training Coordinator at Advancing Justice – Chicago. Upcoming Asian language Bystander Intervention Trainings: Tagalog March 23 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Tagalog, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. Register here. Thai April 7 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Thai, 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. Register here. Hindi April 20 – Training with simultaneous interpretation in Hindi. 3pm Hawaii / 4pm Alaska / 5pm Pacific / 6pm Mountain / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern. Register here.

BECAUSE WE’RE STILL AT RISK FROM NEW VARIANTS AND MUTATIONS. The COVID-19 vaccine can protect you and your family. MyTurn.ca.gov

 COMMUNITY NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

PG&E and Ford Collaborate on Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging Technology in Customers’ Homes Pilot Will Test How Ford F-150 Lightning EV Can Interact with Grid, Support Electric Reliability

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Today, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Ford Motor Company announced a collaboration exploring how Ford’s new F-150 Lightning electric vehicle (EV)—the first commercially available light-duty truck with bidirectional charging technology—can interact with the electric grid and provide electric reliability benefits to PG&E customers. One in five EVs in the country are on the road in PG&E’s service area of Northern and Central California, where customers are often early adopters of new clean energy technologies. PG&E and Ford will test the F-150 Lightning and its Intelligent Backup Power bidirectional charging capabilities in providing backup power for customers’ homes in PG&E’s service area. Intelligent Backup Power, making its debut on the F-150 Lightning, gives customers the ability to use bidirectional power technology from their all-electric truck to provide up to 10 days of power to their homes during an outage, depending on home energy usage. The first installations of Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power are beginning in spring 2022, supported by Sunrun as Ford’s preferred installation

partner. Through this early adopter opportunity, PG&E will explore how Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power technology interconnects to the electric grid, which is necessary for the truck’s battery to power the home, and how it can support customer resiliency during grid outages. Additionally, PG&E expects to learn more about the overall customer experience to help inform future collaborations as this emerging technology becomes more readily available. “Today, we are seeing breakthrough opportunities at the intersection of the energy and transportation industries. As more electric vehicles and new charging technology become available, it is critical that we better understand how EVs can interact with the electric grid and how we can best support our customers. Through collaborations with automakers like Ford, we are innovating together for a cleaner, safer and brighter future for all,” said PG&E Corporation CEO Patti Poppe. “This is a really big deal to take this next step of bidirectional charging, which Ford is uniquely positioned to do. We’re really excited to start with PG&E,” said James D. Farley, Jr., Chief Executive Of-

ﬁcer, Ford Motor Company. While EVs already provide customers with cleaner air and reduced maintenance costs, among other beneﬁts, testing emerging technologies to optimize EV integration with the electric grid could provide further value to all PG&E customers. Beyond the initial deployment with a small number of customers’ homes, PG&E and Ford plan to explore additional use cases and potential for bidirectional charging technology in support of PG&E customers and the grid. Supporting EV Adoption in California Increasing EV adoption can play a critical role in supporting California’s goals to reduce emissions as transportation is the single largest source of greenhousegas emissions in the state, contributing nearly 40%. Passenger vehicles alone account for nearly 29% of the state’s total emissions. By 2035, 100% of California sales of new passenger cars and trucks will have zero tailpipe-emissions. The electricity fueling EVs in California comes from one of the cleanest energy mixes in the country. PG&E estimates that 93% of its customers’ electricity in 2021 came from greenhouse gas-free resources.

PG&E supports its customers’ EV adoption. Through its EV charging infrastructure programs, PG&E helps to reduce one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption—the lack of available places to charge. PG&E helps increase access to EV chargers for customers across light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles through its EV Charge Network, EV Fleet and EV Fast Charge programs. Additionally, PG&E offers electric rate plans tailored for EV drivers and provides tools such as PG&E’s EV Savings Calculator and Fleet Calculator (ev. pge.com and fleets.pge.com) to help customers understand costs when deciding whether to use an EV. For more information, visit pge.com/ ev. About PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www. pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/ newsroom/.

By Pilar Marrero, Ethnic Media Services that one can read in Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik, two official Russian outLocal politics, historical resentments, lets, which have operations in Spanish. “It’s hard for me to find real indepenand economic realities have driven reactions in Latin America to the Russian in- dent media in Venezuela”, said Joshua vasion of Ukraine, and that includes how Collins, a freelance journalist covering media in the continent are covering -and Colombia and Venezuela who is based in Bogotá. “Telesur essentially repeats editorializing about- the conflict. In Latin America, the closest Russian RT propaganda” The opposite occurs in neighboring allies - Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua - have offered the most support by blam- Colombia. “The coverage here is pretty ing NATO and the West for the events. sympathetic of the Ukraine. Everyone They have directly benefitted from Rus- knows Colombia´s closest ally in the sia’s economic support, and sanctions world is the US but you can also see covagainst that country can affect their live- erage as extensions of the political party or ideology,” said Collins. lihood. Radio Caracol´s owner, for example, In each of those countries, freedom of the press is severely limited, but a few is the biggest donor to the party of the dissenting voices can still be heard on current president, Ivan Duque. “They are the editorial pages of newspapers such kind of covering it the same way Duque as El Nacional, from Venezuela, for ex- talks, he likes to talk about forceful military solutions.” ample. Center left media, such as El EspeHowever, most Venezuelan media, including former opposition TV station ctador in Bogotá, are opposed to any Globovision (bought years ago by a pro type of intervention, he added, although regime figure), newspaper Ultimas No- they aren´t defending Russia or expressticias and global network Telesur, keep ing a pro-Russia line. Meanwhile, Mexican media and their information clean of any bloody journalists have expressed a variety of images in Ukraine. In their pages and social media, one positions about the conflict, much of it can read about the “humanitarian aid” reflective of ideology and how much of Russia has sent Ukraine, and about the traditional “anti-Americanism” (Anpeace negotiations. Telesur regularly ti-USA) that opinion contains. “Mexico is a country with a strong shares the same pro-Russia propaganda

current of anti-American opinion based on well-known historical resentments,” said journalist Dolia Estevez, a regular commentator for Mexico´s Noticias MVS and a contributor to Poder Magazine. Contempt for the US translates into defense of Putin and his war, she added. The President of Mexico has not joined in condemnation or support of Russia, arguing that he supports “nonintervention”. But on social media, a variety of influencers -who may or may not be financed by the government and who usually support official positions - are showing support for Russia and spreading disinformation that echoes some of the Russian propaganda. The very active twitter account of the Russian Embassy in Mexico constantly engages in criticism of the Mexican media that reports the news in Ukraine. In Cuba, the media reflect the official position of the government, said Jesus Hernandez Cuellar, editor of Contacto Magazine in Los Angeles. “The alternative view is outside of Cuba, with one exception, digital newspaper 14ymedio. com which is led by Yoani Sanchez.” Sanchez became world-famous via her blog years ago and her outlet is the only one inside Cuba that has covered stories and contains opinion pieces that

are critical of Russia. “Her newspaper covered this story about a Cuban baseball player that offered to fight for Ukraine after taking his family out of that country,” Hernandez said. “That would not have been a story that any Cuban outlet in the island would cover at all.” Local politics and opinions regarding controversial president Nayib Bukele dominate the media in El Salvador, said Roger Lindo, an independent journalist living in the capital and writing for the online magazine Barracuda Literaria. “El Salvador was one of the nations that abstained at the U.N. from condemning the invasion,” said Lindo. “Bukele was closer to the US at the beginning of his government, but he has moved away from it and gotten closer to Russia, seeking to evade the financial systems of the West”. Bukele has been promoting Bitcoin as a legal currency of his country and that has not gone his way, he said. Most media in the central American country have been critical of both Russia and Bukele. “Very few Salvadorean outlets have a different position than that of the west and they have used Bukele´s increasing closeness to Russia as a hammer against him,” Lindo explained.

Latin American media cover war on Ukraine through local political divides

27 March 17-23, 2022

Oﬄine

(From Page 13)

perform at Junior’s event in the Bacolod area. She said no, but agreed to sing for the Leni followers gratis. Multiply this by the dozens upon dozens of artists who show up to express their solidarity with Robredo, and you will see that there is reason for Junior to be worried. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Robredo’s running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan is married to the one and only Sharon Cuneta, aka the Megastar. Her presence in the rallies is icing on the cake. The latest Facebook and Google reports say that Robredo is on her way to victory in two months’ time, and this has made Junior’s camp even more desperate. Since they could never question Robredo’s impressive credentials, their attacks have always been on a personal basis. Robredo herself has stated that the attacks have turned extremely vicious of late, and will worsen in the weeks to come. The vice president has never had to resort to cheap gimmicks and tactics to push her candidacy. It is Leni Robredo who can and will unite the people after she is elected. Since he is now aware that his “popularity” at the start of the campaign had no ground to stand on, Junior has allowed his wife and children to appear before the media in hopes that they can bring in the women and the youth vote. No dice. His wife, a member of the Araneta clan, may come across as being nice enough, but their adult kids are just as empty headed as the father. In contrast, Robredo’s three adult daughters are all overachievers who will almost certainly go far in life. One is already a practicing physician who was at the frontlines in the battle against the pandemic. It seems pretty clear that Junior’s manufactured popularity peaked too early. His smoke and mirrors show could not be sustained. The craziest claim came this week from Junior’s running mate Sara Duterte, who said that the opposition – meaning Leni and company – was preparing to cheat in the coming elections. She is saying what she and Junior are themselves prepared to do. For the duo and their awful senate candidates, cheating is the only way they can hope to win. If they do, Junior and Sara will ﬁnd out that the spirit of People Power remains very much alive and well. Cheat and there will be hell to pay for the senseless Uniteam. The Marcos family may as well pack their bags and get ready to be kicked out of the country by a united people for the second time.

In the Trenches

(From Page 13)

bullying and hate messages on social media. Troll farms and social media inﬂuencer working for President Rodrigo Duterte have dominated Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms to change the narrative, spewing hate messages and spreading disinformation and propaganda. These volunteers are supporting a candidate who can restore moral and decent leadership in government and ensure justice and truth will prevail. It’s not an EDSA 1986 experience but an entirely new phenomenon. Ordinary voters are directly involved in the election campaign. They spend their own money to buy campaign materials, like tarpaulins, stickers, and t-shirts, and go to rallies on their own without waiting to be bused and brought to venues. These volunteers, mostly from the middle class and younger sector of society, have been going out of their way to help a candidate win and prevent the only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from clawing back to power. There were also some people from the D and E brackets of society who went out of their way to show support by oﬀering services. These are real volunteers who do not need to be paid for services to a candidate. In several towns in Iloilo province, for instance, these volunteers go house-to-house in remote barangays everyday to campaign for their candidate. They also spend money on campaign materials, food, and transportation to convince people to vote for the candidate. Iloilo’s experience could be replicated in other provinces where volunteers believed and supported the candidate’s just and moral cause. All these volunteers have been working to stop not only the Marcoses from returning to power, but also the political families who were equally tainted with graft and corruption, like former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former senator Juan Ponce Enrile, and members of other political dynasties.

On Distant Shore

(From Page 13)

Let’s take a brief look at the list of Robredo endorsers, as painstakingly compiled by Yahoo News contributor Mark Ernest Famatigan: • 89 young local government officials across LGUs nationwide, including mayors, vice mayors, provincial board members, councilors, SK chairpersons. • Over 150 human rights lawyers and advocates • Retired officers of AFP-PNP • More than 700 doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals from Cavite • Over a thousand educators from different schools of the De

La Salle University • Over 400 faculty members of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) • At least 100 former and current heads of educational institutions • 150 professors from different law schools • The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Department of Theology • The framers of the 1987 Constitution • Over 500 former officials and employees of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA). • Individual members of the Couples for Christ (CFC). • 47 officials of the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration • Past presidents of the Philippine Bar Association • The Missionary Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica’s Priory, Manila • Four women indigenous leaders.” • More than 200 former workers of the United Nations • Former Fidel Ramos Cabinet members • More than 260 economists, including six NEDA directorgenerals, namely Solita Collas-Monsod, Cielito Habito, Erlinda Medalla, Dante Canlas, Ernesto Pernia, and Emmanuel Esguerra. • Religious society De La Salle Brothers of the Taft Community • About a hundred members of the late Benigno Aquino III’s Cabinet And the list continues to grow as governors, mayors and other elected officials are starting to hitch in the Robredo bandwagon. Perhaps the latest to do so is President Rodrigo Duterte himself, who said that he prefers his successor to be a lawyer “with compassion.” Among the 10 presidential candidates, only Robredo and Jose Montemayor Jr. are lawyers. Although it is true that the President was describing in general what he said would be an ideal successor, it is easy to say that it was an indirect endorsement of Robredo. The fact that Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardonne, a loyal Duterte supporter, publicly endorsed Robredo the next day, saying he had the President’s explicit permission, attest to this assertion. Remember that Robredo also figured poorly in poll surveys against rival Marcos in the 2016 elections for vice president, but ended beating him by more than 287,000 votes. Marcos demanded a recount of the votes in three Mindanao provinces, but the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, dismissed the case, saying that there was no evidence of fraud, and that even if the results there were annulled, Robredo would still win by 15,130 votes. So will the May election results be as close? Although Pulse Asia surveys say Marcos would win by a landslide if elections were held today, realities in the ground, to my mind, say it would be the other way around, Robredo by a landslide. I dare say Duterte feels it in his guts, so does his loyal soldier, Evardonne, who has always sided with the winners. And that’s how this election would go.

Ken Go

(From Page 20)

assistance is needed, FHA borrowers may be eligible for the FHA-Home Affordable Modification Program (FHA-HAMP). FHA-HAMP allows the lender to defer missed mortgage payments to bring the homeowner’s loan current. It can then request that HUD (FHA’s overseer) further reduce the monthly payment by opening an interest-free subordinate loan of up to 30% of the remaining loan balance. The borrower only pays principal and interest based on 70% of the balance, and can pay back the remainder upon a sale or refinance of the home. Deferring this extra principal amount can help make it easier for FHA borrowers to get back on track with their loans. FHA-HAMP is typically combined with one of the loan modification options above to lower the borrower’s monthly payment. Eligible FHA borrowers must complete a trial repayment plan to qualify for either loan modification or the FHA-HAMP program. This involves making on-time payments in the modified amount for three months straight. It may be difficult to qualify for a refinance program during times of financial hardship. But before writing this strategy off, check all the loan options available. Streamline Refinancing Homeowners with FHA loans, VA mortgages, and USDA loans have an additional option in the form of Streamline Refinancing. A Streamline Refinance typically does not require income or employment verification, or a new home appraisal. Even the credit check might be waived (though the lender will always verify you have been making mortgage payments on time). These loans are a lot more forgiving for homeowners whose finances have taken a downturn. Note that Streamline Refinancing is only allowed within the same loan program: FHA-to-FHA, VA-to-VA. Thanks for your inquiries and comments, call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636.

Health & Wealth

(From Page 12)

nessee, USA. Real Estate & You (Revised 2022 Edition) will be marketed by Amazon at the regular price of $15.95 per paperback copy plus shipping and handling on March 31, 2022. The 253-pages book is ideal and lasting gift to FRANC (Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Co-Workers) during birthdays, wedding, anniversaries, graduation day, reunion

and other occasions. To express my appreciation and gratitude to our readers, I am giving a pre-publication Special Oﬀer and subsidized price of only $10 (includes shipping and handling) per autographed copy of the book. This Special Oﬀer is good only in the United States until May 5, 2022 to commemorate our 48th Wedding Anniversary. Order autographed copies for you and your friends and relatives today. Just send corresponding payment in check or money order to: ART G. MADLAING, 730 Madrid Street, San Francisco, CA 94112 Tel. (650)438-3531 or (415)5847095 or email:artmadlaing@gmail.com *ART G. MALAING is accredited and commissioned Notary Public and licensed Real Estate Broker (DRE# 00635976) in California since 1981. He is founder of MOBILE SIGNING SERVICES, FITNESS FOR HUMANITY (aka FITNESS FOR CHRIST) and ACAPINOY. Art is active Evangelist with the GOLDEN GATE CHURCH OF CHRIST in San Francisco, California USA

PerryScope...

(From Page 12)

to and Biden would just play possum, unmindful of whatever the consequence will be. But doesn’t Biden realize that he had just pulled the MAD auto-mechanism? Now, all Putin has to do is threaten “First Strike” and Biden would just stare blankly at the nuclear football held by his aide-de-camp… and do nothing. And suddenly, his semisenile mind goes into a paralytic state, unable to respond to the nuclear crisis, which he inadvertently and unconsciously abetted by vowing that he would never send the army of the most powerful nuclear power and richest country in history to fight the bankruptcy-bound invading Russians in Ukraine. What a shame! American history Biden needs to study American history from the time the U.S. entered World War I to the victorious conclusion of World War II. Never in those two world wars did America ever flinch in the face of defeat, only to emerge the victor who would rule in peace and prosperity until… today. Today, the great American nation is facing extinction only because she allowed a mad genius to roll his tanks into Ukraine and laid waste to a beautiful and proud country. Ukraine is bound to lose her sovereignty because America allowed Russian war planes to ravage their land and refused to send NATO warplanes to defend the besieged Ukrainian people who are fleeing -- helplessly and hopelessly – amid the attacking Russian tanks and aerial bombardment. But even if Russia launches a “First Strike” attack against the U.S.’s Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) based in the continental U.S., it would take 30 minutes to reach their targets. It would give the U.S. a “Second Strike” counterattack using her fleet of 14 ballistic missile submarines – known as “boomers” – that are positioned anywhere in the open seas as close as the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea, which would reach their targets in Russia within five minutes. Each submarine carries 24 Trident missiles and each missile can carry up to 14 warheads. That’s a total of 4,704 nuclear warheads, more than enough to counter any attack with devastating nuclear power, which would erase Russia from the Earth’s map. Together, the 14 Ohio-class submarines carry approximately 50% of the total U.S. active inventory of strategic thermonuclear warheads. Putin is crazy Needless to say, Putin knows that he cannot win a nuclear war against the U.S. He might be crazy but he’s not stupid to realize that once he presses the “doomsday button,” it will lead to MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction. That means it will destroy the entire mankind, his country first, and possibly blow the planet Earth into zillions of radioactive meteorites. Only a stupid madman will do that. But as long as the leaders of America and Russia are aware of the consequences of MAD, they’ll never dare bring MAD to fruition. And such, no one would ever start World War III. It’s unthinkable. But it would take a sane and calculating world leader to stop this stupid madman from even thinking of pressing the “doomsday button” that would turn his beloved “Mother Russia” into a radioactive nuclear wasteland for the next 1,000 years. Putin’s descendants would long him as the madman whose stupidity would be etched in every Russian’s mind that he once ruled the biggest empire on Earth only to lose it because he became too ambitious. At the end of the day, Putin may only have thirty seconds to midnight to blow the world into radioactive smithereens. (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

 HEALTH NEWS

March 17-23, 2022

COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide GENEVA - In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%, according to a scientific brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO). The brief also highlights who has been most affected and summarizes the effect of the pandemic on the availability of mental health services and how this has changed during the pandemic. Concerns about potential increases in mental health conditions had already prompted 90% of countries surveyed to include mental health and psychosocial support in their COVID-19 response plans, but major gaps and concerns remain. “The information we have now about the impact of COVID-19 on the world’s mental health is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is a wake-up call to all countries to pay more attention to mental health and do a better job of supporting their populations’ mental health.”

Multiple stress factors One major explanation for the increase is the unprecedented stress caused by the social isolation resulting from the pandemic. Linked to this were constraints on people’s ability to work, seek support from loved ones and engage in their communities. Loneliness, fear of infection, suffering and death for oneself and for loved ones, grief after bereavement and financial worries have also all been cited as stressors leading to anxiety and depression. Among health workers, exhaustion has been a major trigger for suicidal thinking. Young people and women worst hit The brief, which is informed by a comprehensive review of existing evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and mental health services, and includes estimates from the latest Global Burden of Disease study, shows that the pandemic has affected the mental health of young people and that they are disproportionally at risk of suicidal and self-harming behaviours. It also indicates that

women have been more severely impacted than men and that people with pre-existing physical health conditions, such as asthma, cancer and heart disease, were more likely to develop symptoms of mental disorders. Data suggests that people with pre-existing mental disorders do not appear to be disproportionately vulnerable to COVID-19 infection. Yet, when these people do become infected, they are more likely to suﬀer hospitalization, severe illness and death compared with people without mental disorders. People with more severe mental disorders, such as psychoses, and young people with mental disorders, are particularly at risk. Gaps in care This increase in the prevalence of mental health problems has coincided with severe disruptions to mental health services, leaving huge gaps in care for those who need it most. For much of the pandemic, services for mental, neurological and substance use conditions were the most disrupted among all essential health services.

Veggies maximize life Heart of Hope

Our diet plays a very important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic illnesses, and some forms of cancer, especially of the gastrointestinal tract. A diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and low in fiber - consisting mainly of red meats (pork, beef, non-skim dairy PHILIP S. CHUA products, etc) and eggs, has been branded as unhealthy. Voluminous clinical studies have shown that excess serum cholesterol, specifically chronically elevated HDL (the bad cholesterol) and triglycerides, is the culprit in the more than half a million deaths from a heart attack each year in the United States alone. This translates to one person dying from a cardiovascular illness every 60 seconds. And this does not even include the mortality from cancer, which is higher among red meat-eaters. Diet and Longevity The proponents of the vegetarian diet argue that studies have shown that the longest-lived animals had a low-calorie vegetarian diet and that rats fed a high protein, high fat diet had the shortest life span. The studies of Dr. Paul Dudley on the Hunzas of Pakistan, who have amazing longevity, showed that they subsist on spartan and vegetarian diet of nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, and a little goat milk. Fresh and/or dried apricots are their staple food. The Hunzas’ lifespan is 140 years. Vegetables and Fruits Vegetables and fruits have phytochemicals that are good for our bodies. Twenty-three epidemiological studies have shown that a diet rich in grains and vegetables reduces the risk of colon cancer by 40%, and breast cancer by 25%. Some of the hundreds of phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables are: lycopene, ellagic acid, lutein, flavonoids, saponins, monoterpenes, phthalides, phenols, ajoene, capsaicin, coumestrol, genistein, sulforaphane, zeaxanthin. Our mothers were right in cajoling us to eat vegetables and fruits. Too bad, most of us didn’t listen. The incidence of cancers, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity among vegetarians is much lower than among meat-eaters. Those fruits and veggies capsules being advertised are a sham. One has to take 20 or more capsules a day to satisfy the minimum daily requirements. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables (without preservatives) is healthier and lesser expensive.

Diabetics must include the calories from fruits in their computation. Types of Vegetarians Vegetarian forms: (1) Lacto-ovo vegetarians, whose diet consists of vegetables, dairy products and eggs, no meat or flesh of any kind (pork, beef, lamb, etc., poultry, fish, and seafoods); (2) Lacto-vegetarians who do not eat eggs, but eat vegetables, fruits and milk; and, (3) Vegans or pure vegetarians, who do not eat any food or food products of animal origin, including milk and eggs, and subsist on vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruits only. The Rev. William Metcalfe of England, together with his friend, Sylvester Graham, a young Presbyterian minister, and 40 other English church members, brought the vegetarian way of life to the United States in 1817. For thousands of years, being a vegetarian was a part of socio-cultural-religious practice around the globe, most notably in the Far East. Many people around the world today choose to be vegetarians for health reasons. Vegetarian Who’s Who If you are a vegetarian, you’re in good company. Some of the famous vegetarians include Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato, Leonardo da Vinci, Buddha, Plutarch, John Milton, Sir Isaac Newton, Mahatma Gandhi, The Dalai Lama, Benjamin Franklin, Shakespeare, Vicent Van Gogh, Leo Tolstoy, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Voltaire, Albert Schweitzer, George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Rabindranath Tagore, Mark Twain, Robert Browning, Linda and Paul McCartney, John Denver, Richard Gere, Kim Bassinger, Steven Spielberg, Cameron Diaz, Josh Hartnett…etc. Man: Herbivore? Was man supposed to be plant-eaters instead of meat-eaters? Yes, according to several investigations and books on the subject. A. D. Andrews, the author of Fit Food For Men, made an anatomical and structural comparison between herbivores (plant-eating animals) and carnivores (meat-eating animals), and came to the conclusion that man’s teeth, salivary glands, quality of saliva, long intestinal tract, absence of claws, are all similar to those of herbivores, very much unlike those of carnivores. Thus, he argues that man is a natural herbivore, and must eat what herbivores eat: vegetables, fruits, nuts, grains, and not meat or flesh, in order to stay healthy. Eating red meat more than once a week is unhealthy and is a factor in most of man’s ailments. Strength and Vitality The belief that vegetarians are weak and sickly

is a myth. Elephants, bulls, cows, carabaos, and some dinosaurs (plateosaurus, brachiosaurus, etc.) are a few of the strongest animals known to man --- all herbivores. Various studies comparing athletes who are carnivores and herbivores revealed astonishing findings: Vegetarian athletes fared 2 to 3 times better, with greater endurance and better recovery time, compared to their meat-eating counterparts in similar sport activities. Vegetables with Protein Vegetarians get their protein from soybeans, lentils, kidney beans, lima and pinto beans, black beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, peanuts, almonds, cashew, sunflower seeds, and other nuts, broccoli and other vegetables, wheat, grains, brown rice, potato, and eggs and dairy products. These sources easily meet the daily requirement of between 60-80 grams of protein, even for vegans. Animal meat is really NOT essential for health and life. Fountain of health A daily low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-fiber diet of fish and a lot of vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains (brown rice instead of white), with occasional red meat, if desired, coupled with abstinence from tobacco, doing daily exercises, maintaining proper weight, drinking a glass or two of red wine with dinner, taking time off with friends and/or family for rest and relaxation on weekends, visiting the doctor for check-up as advised, and adequately treating any existing medical condition could be our fountain of health. COVID-19 Updates As of Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at 4:08 PM (EST), Global COVID: new cases - 1,363,667, new deaths that day: 2,959, and total deaths so far – 6,070,299; USA: new cases – 2,929; new deaths 326, total death - 991,185; The Philippines (on March 14th): new cases - 554, new deaths - 15, and total death - 57,625 since the pandemic started. China locks down millions as it experiences the greatest outbreak (a surge to a 2-year high) of COVID-19 with 3,500 new cases, more than double in 24 hours. Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, Health Advocate, newspaper columnist, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, Today.SPSAtoday.com, and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

29 March 17-23, 2022

NEWS  NATIONAL VIEWS & COMMENTS

DON’T GROW OLD By TIM PEDROSA

Many people are afraid of growing old. I am afraid of growing old and boring. Many people are afraid of growing old, alone. I’m afraid of growing old, insane. Many people are afraid of losing their looks. I’m afraid of losing my dreams. Many people are afraid of losing their youth. I’m afraid of losing my soul. When you’re 15, 35 seem ancient. When you’re 35, 15 seem juvenile, a turnaround in a split second. Three decades zoomed past and before you know it, it’s already another millennium. Don’t fear age, it’s a rite of personhood. Don’t fear death, it’s God’s greatest jest. Don’t grow old, you don’t have to. Don’t date because you’re desperate. Don’t marry because you’re miserable. Don’t have kids because you think your genes are superior. Don’t separate because you think it’s fashionable. Don’t drink because you have troubles. Don’t gamble because you think winning is inevitable. Don’t philander because you think you’re irresistible. Most likely, you’re not. Don’t associate with people you can’t trust. Don’t cheat. Don’t lie. Don’t pretend. Don’t try to buy your way into the kingdom of God. Don’t dictate because you’re smarter. Don’t demand because you’re stronger. Don’t sleep around because you think you’re old enough to know better. Don’t hurt your kids because loving them is harder. Don’t sell your self, your family, or your ideals. Don’t stagnate. Don’t regress. Learn a new skill. Find a new friend. Start a new career. Don’t live in the past. Time can’t bring anything or anyone back. Don’t put your life on hold for possibly Mr./ Ms. Right. Don’t throw your life away on absolutely Mr./Ms. Wrong and you can’t afford not to have someone after the start of the new millenium. There’s always a mad rush to something, somewhere but victory does not always belong to those who finish first. Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid for some of life’s more hasty decisions. You can’t always go with the throng who could be wrong. Sometimes, you have to be alone to be enlightened. To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless. To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy. To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy. Don’t bring another life into this world for all the wrong reasons. To keep yourself warm, buy a jacket. In the long run, it will be less complicated and less costly. To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of what you can be. Simplify your life. Take away the clutter. Get rid of destructive elements, abusive friends, nasty habits and dangerous liaisons. Don’t abandon your responsibilities but don’t overdose on duty. Don’t live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your family. Be true to yourself. Don’t commit when you’re not ready. Don’t keep others waiting needlessly. Fall in love, it’s the greatest thing on earth. But take care and remember, after the fall must come the rise. Go on that trip. Don’t postpone it. Say those words. Don’t let the moment pass. Do what you must even at society’s scorn. Write poetry. Love deeply. Walk barefoot. Hold hands. Dance with wild abandon. Cry at movies. Take care of yourself. Don’t wait for someone to take care of you. You light up your life. You drive yourself to your destination. No one completes you, except you. It is true that life doesn’t get easier with age. It only gets more challenging. Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose your capacity to love. Pursue your passions. Live your dreams. Don’t lose your faith in God. Don’t grow old. Just grow up.

Lenten Special: Fasting and Prayer

e entered into the Lenten Season and once again, we are called to fasting and prayer as our way of penance and disciplining our life making it more docile to God’s will and pleasing to Him. Fasting and prayer are among our basic Lenten actions that can show our journey of penance, contrition and conversion of life to God. I want to re-learn and re-reflect on fasting REV. JOSE PELAGIO A. PADIT, SThD and prayer; see them with new eyes and do them with greater devotion. What is this fasting really? What is prayer really, especially in the context of Lent? Fasting is not so much about the lessening of food as to feel hungry and consequently to feel some pain or some suffering; but it is more about the significance and reason or motive behind that feeling of pain or suffering. The motive and sense of fasting makes our will seek God’s will, when many times the concern of our will is just our own pleasure and comfort. The deeper meaning of fasting is not only to make us participate the Paschal Mystery of Jesus; but also especially, making us forget and deny ourselves so as to exalt God in us; it is to more to establish God’s reign not my ego’s reign. Fasting is not about the bodily nourishment but more about spiritual nourishment; not about the physical suffering but more about the joy of divine life letting it take the center stage. Meanwhile, in the context of Lent, prayer is not only the lifting up of our hearts and minds to God; but also, more in truly seeking union with God. God’s salvation reconciled us to Himself in Christ and sanctification is investing us with His divine life empowering us to live in His grace and favor; so, prayer during Lent should lead us bring God’s divine life to the forefront of our daily existence. In other words, during Lent, I pray in order that I may even more allow God to possess me and make myself open and docile for God. Prayer during Lent is seeking to let God’s grace and action take hold of our lives, our mind and heart, our whole being. That is why, prayer is accompanied with fasting; so that, as we discipline our body, we dispose it to the greater expressions of our spiritual soul. Fasting cripples vices; while, it energizes virtues. Prayer relates us to God; or more, it leads us to an embrace with God. During Lent, fasting and prayer are like our two hands need to do our work; or our two feet we have to use to walk and stand. Hence, we have to do some fasting for moral and spiritual benefit; and we have to be prayerful in order to be open more to God’s sanctifying graces. During Lenten Season, the call is penance and conversion, purification of life, words and actions; fasting and prayer are the two ways to respond to them, that with fasting we atone for our sins and sinfulness, and with prayer we allow God’s grace to purify us making us more disposed to His presence. During Lent, Jesus is confronting evil and sin through humble submission to the Will of God. Fasting confronts our selfishness and frees our willingness to be selfless; it destroys our pride-seeking-ego and empowering us to be humble. Meanwhile, prayer makes us listen to God; while, making us also close ourselves from the evil one. Prayer and fasting becomes our weapons to defeat the evil one and destroy its weapons against us. Let us learn from the example of the Saints, they loved fasting and prayer; fasting was their weapon as they waged war in their spiritual warfare, while prayer their battle cry that the powers of hell tremble before them. And most especially, let us remember that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights, this is also what our Lent is about; so, let us imitate Him. Let us be willing to pray and to fast, for every time we do them, we are letting in more divine light and life into our being. Lord Jesus, may I fast with the motives that You had; and may I pray as You did, making myself closer to You. Amen. You can find also this article in my website, faithexpressions.org, view us too in YouTube, Faith Expressions.

Aﬂame The Heart

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE FOR THE WEEK